A Forbidden Twist
by Sirenidae
Summary: Photographer Ginny and lonely Draco are tired of their lives and the endless war, but when they meet in the midst of the violence it's not a happy reunion. When a death eater threatens their lives, things may change. DMGW OC WIP, 2 yrs after 7th book.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first fan fiction!!! Published one, that is, and I am so excited! Please review and of course read and enjoy!**

**And obviously JK Rowling owns it all... all but my silly plot :)**

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Ginny glanced down at the tiny black box she held in her hands.

It was a muggle camera, one that she had rescued from her father before it was turned into something else. She smiled as she thought of her father, and her family.

_And Fred…_ she squinted into the viewfinder to distract herself from that sharp, painful thought.

The nineteen year old adjusted the light meter, and her hands automatically searched for and set the shutter speed. Ginny flicked her wand to write letters in the air and snapped the first picture of the suspended purple words.

**Ginny Weasley**

**Undercover Freelance Photographer**

**Roll 42**

The freckled red-head whisked away the words that would distinguish that particular roll of film, and satisfied, she looked up. Something wet splashed on her cheek. Sighing, the girl took out her raincoat she had been expecting to use and put it on.

The downpour started just as she applied the water repellant charm to the camera, as well as herself. She was only just on the outskirts of London, so the raincoat was still needed, in case a wandering muggle happened by and saw a girl wearing everyday clothes and not getting wet.

Ginny smiled grimly as she imagined the look on that muggle's face. She tapped the toe of her left boot to re-adjust her feet, and set off down the road. She allowed her mind to wander as she skipped over a newly formed puddle on the soon to be mud road.

No muggle cars zipped by her today. Today was different. _War changes everything_; Ginny rubbed the bridge of her nose in discomfort, a habit she had developed since her final year at Hogwarts.

After Harry, Ron and Hermione had graduated, along with many of the other Gryffindors with whom she was close, Ginny grew very self-conscious and nervous without their comforting presence.

After Fred and George had left, Ginny had the trio to lean back on, but after they left… _Luna Lovegood, the Creevey brothers? Yea, whatever_, Ginny continued on down the road.

Of course, now that Voldemort was dead, everyone, including her overbearing mother, expected her and most other girls to settle down and start pumping out babies. What the fools hadn't realized was all the clean up they had to do. Not to mention the delusional Death Eaters, and the army they had raised, believed that the fight was not over. They believed that Voldemort wasn't dead, just like the last time Harry had beaten him.

_Harry_…

Ginny sighed. That was the boy to whom her mother was hoping for an immediate betrothal. _Which is entirely antiquated, of course; even Hermione thinks so_. Just because he was her first crush didn't mean she wanted to marry him.

Although, she did still fancy him quite a bit, especially because of the time they had spent together during his sixth, and her fifth year. They had grown so close, and yet…she wasn't satisfied.

Although she herself could never quite explain exactly what she felt was lacking, nevertheless…her mother still expected them to marry and Ginny wasn't completely revolted by the idea, just confused. So she assumed her heart was in the right, and her mind simply couldn't shut up.

_Still…there is something too perfect and flat about him…_

But now Ginny couldn't concentrate. She put these discomforting thoughts out of her mind and after checking to see if any muggles were present before disapparating with a crack.

Arriving on the scene of a battlefield always sickened Ginny. Getting her camera, as well as her nausea, under control, she looked around from her safety zone she had visited a fair few times before.

_These better make me millions_, she thought as she set her teeth and held the camera up to her right eye, and started clicking.

Bodies, wands, spells, magic, death were all captured with the movement of Ginny's finger. Standing alone atop a muddy hill, Ginny became engrossed in what she was doing. Second nature took over and she set her conscious mind back from the revulsion she felt as well as the fear.

* * *

About the length of a Quidditch pitch away, a solitary form stood hidden in the forest near the battle scene, watching, shielded by the bushes and by a black hood. Dead sliver colored eyes flashed as the figure squinted at the photographer on the hilltop, searching his knowledge and memory. Pale eyebrows shot up in recognition as the wind snatched Ginny's hood from her head and sent a cascade of red hair flowing across her back.

The cloaked figure watched as Ginny paused to fix her hood, letting the camera drop on its strings, suspended from her neck. She tilted her head sideways, to help her hand sweep the hair into a bunch on her right shoulder. As she did, she saw the tall black shape in the woods and abruptly stood up, defiant and frightened.

_Death eater_, she thought, hand moving slowly to her wand in her back pocket.

_Her_, the figure thought debating whether or not to take a step forward. _What is_ she _doing here? And not fighting?_

The air between them hung suspended for a moment. Ginny snapped time back into place as she pointed her wand at the man, and the figure took the step forward.

"Stay there!" Ginny called, her voice carried over the short distance by the wind. "I… I can, and will, kill you!" She walked a couple of more paces forward, as the shadowed outline of evil did the same. "I said, STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

The Death Eater laughed, and continued walking towards Ginny, pulling out his own wand as he did so. The laugh sent cold shivers of fear and slight recognition down Ginny's spine.

The odd pair met in a slight dip in the land, taking them out of view of the main fighting that the girl had been so engrossed in a moment before. Ginny realized she was trembling slightly and forced herself to stop. The man across form her was no doubt a Death Eater, he had black boots and pants that were covered by an ankle length cloak that covered everything. Black gloved hands held a long wand pointing at Ginny's own, and a dark, secretive hood covered his face.

"You're just as I remember," the man started speaking in a voice that sounded like ice water. Ginny frowned. Again that laugh. Ginny's frown increased, as did her fear.

"Now you're a photographer? Have you changed so much, is this your only work these days, or are you in it for the joy, the pure entertainment, like I am?" Ginny suppressed a shudder as she prepared to answer.

"I-I'm not like you." Why she was so scared?

"Oh, of course you're not. You're pathetic, stupid and weak. How could you even begin to want to compare yourself to me at all?" The haughty laugh returned.

Ginny began to say something snappy and rude in return, but coldness settled around her body and soul. "What-what are you doing? How are you doing that…?" She trailed off weakly, her wand arm wavering.

The Death Eater looked around and saw dementors floating onto the field below them. He turned back to the girl, who was shaking slightly, and unsuccessfully trying to control it. "I'm not doing anything," he began, as he saw her knees start to waver. "It's the dementors coming for your friends on the field down there. You know that they won't survive, and yet…" He trailed off, lowering his wand, seeing his opponent no longer a threat.

Ginny tried to turn her head. "Dementors!" she gasped, struggling to reach for her camera. "I need…I need a picture of those…" Her knees failed, as she looked back up at the black robed enemy. "Get…away from…me…"

The man's laugh came through again, though not as loud as before. "Go ahead, Ginny," his soft voice was taunting in her ears. "Take your stupid pictures." He stepped closer and raised his wand again. "You won't remember any of this when I'm done." He looked down into the girl's brown eyes. They widened with his name on her lips as she recognized who he was.

"Malfoy…?" She whispered as he started the incantation. "Draco Malfoy…?" His hood was blown off his face as the memory spell shot out of his wand. He quickly replaced it, with shaking hands.

_Had she seen? How did she know?_ He backed up slowly from her crumpled form on the ground. _Why do you care?_ He sternly told himself as she turned around and strode off. _She's a _Weasley_, for god's sake, none the less a girl, and from _their_ side. Besides, the spell will have worked, it always did. Get a hold of yourself, Draco…_

Draco…Draco Malfoy…Malfoy…

His name, said by her, echoed in his mind as he sped up his pace and disappeared as he walked back they way he had come.

* * *

Draco paced.

Alone in the ruined manor, he had no idea what to do with himself. Thracing the worn carpet behind his father's desk with his feet and his eyes, he thought.

_That girl, that stupid fucking whore..._ The sight of Ginny Weasley had brought to the surface many memories from his past, memories he was having a difficult time with. He turned toward the fireplace and twirled his wand at it, sparking a fire.

He paced back.

The huge clock in the hallway, one of the few things in the manor not broken tolled: 2 a.m. Draco's nerves jumped at the sound, but he quickly calmed. Decideing that he did not want a fire, he put it out, and paced some more. He glanced at the dest and cringed at the headlines of the Daily Prophet.

Back he went.

Each time he traveled by the newspaper, he glanced at it, each time cringing and thinking harder.

'HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED VANQUISHED!' The headlines read. Draco kept pacing.

'HARRY POTTER HERO!' Each copy laughed up at him.

'DEATH EATERS DECLARE: WAR ISN'T OVER!' 'MANY D. EATERS STILL MISSING!'

Anger fizzed in his nerves alongside restlessness and fear.

_I must get out of here_, he thought, out of this place. _I have to go...leave. Hide. So they can't find me. _He spun round and faced the desk with all the newspapers.

_I have to go_.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: There is some Spanish in this chapter (you'll see why) and if anyone needs translating…chica linda = beautiful girl, lo siento = I'm sorry, and Muchas gracias para visitando = thank you for visiting.**

**Oh and btw...I own nothing of JK Rowling's world of Harry Potter, although to God I wish I did... I do own the plot of my story though...HAHAHA  
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Ginny woke up shivering in her bed. _A bad dream_… her wildly thumping heart told her, but she wasn't soaked in sweat. Her clothes were damp however, but they reeked of moldy grass and the outdoors and her heart beat faster when she realized she couldn't remember why.

The disheveled girl sat there as she thought, hard, freckled face screwed up in concentration. Was it a dream? Because now Ginny was getting the startling feeling that it had happened in real life.

She shook her head to clear it and instead a face floated past the fog of forgotten memory.

_Malfoy? Why the hell am I thinking about him?_

Ginny swung her legs out of bed and held her heads in her hands, allowing her deep copper hair to fall around her shoulders like a curtain.

Paused there for a moment, she let her eyes wander down to her feet, that were encased in muddy boots.

_What…?_

She tugged them off and walked to the entrance way of her tiny apartment. Her bag was open, on its side, the contents spilled out across the floor. Sucking in a quick breath, Ginny put the boots down slowly, hoping against hope that when she turned around to face the bag, dread would not greet her.

But her camera was right in front of her, broken, back flap snapped off and the film exposed and ruined. _And the camera…maybe…_ but that was gone too.

Ginny backed against the opposite wall and slid down it until she sat looking at the broken dreams. "Fuck," she muttered, angry because she couldn't remember anything.

She reached up to pinch the skin on either side of her eyes to stop any potential tears from flowing. She hated crying, she had done too much of that when she was younger and she hated feeling weak. A feeling that had been the highlight of her dream last night and one that she wanted quickly to forget.

The girl swallowed repeatedly and closed her eyes, rubbing her temples and unconsciously rocking side to side, trying to jump start her memory. She thought of Malfoy again and frowned deeper as a grassy hilltop swam into view.

Her owl, Daly, slammed into her window trying to be funny and breaking her concentration.

"God damn it," Ginny swore as she opened her eyes and unlocked the window. The owl hooted reproachfully as he soared past her into the room, dropping a parcel and a letter onto the bed as he made his way to his perch.

Sitting on the bed, Ginny turned the envelope over and slowly undid the flap. She made a startled noise as her fingers opened to a purple card which zoomed out, flying around her and Daly's head. As it sang "Happy Birthday" in an unknown key, it spit pink and green confetti down upon the shocked girl and her irritated owl.

Her birthday! She had completely forgotten. _It seems to be a common theme these days. I can't even remember my own damn birthday…_

As the card finished its song, it hovered in front of Ginny's face and opened itself. She recognized the sloppy scrawl of her father's hand and read:

'**Happy Birthday Ginny! I am so proud of my little girl growing up…we all are. We know that photography is important to you right now, especially the muggle kind, which I also think is fascinating by the way, and we **_**must**_** get together…but anyway, on your birthday, we decided to give you a gift certificate type thing, for a vacation in Bermuda.**

'**They have a whole island down there just for wizards, you know, although these poor muggles keep trying to get in. I don't know why. They call it "the Bermuda Triangle" or some nonsense like that. Bless their little souls…We booked you reservations in the Gringotts hotel, it seems like they own everything these days, and we think you'll find it very relaxing.**

'**There are supposed to be some fascinating magical creatures and not to mention all of the scenery of course, but a lot of things for you to take pictures of. And since you only have a muggle camera, we all chipped in and bought you the new Black Cat Twin camera; it's supposed to be really good.**

'**I hope you have a wonderful time with your new presents and you must to write us when you get there. We are also very sorry that we can't visit, but the dangers and all…so until we see you, hopefully soon, we love you!"**

Ginny paused for a moment staring at the letter, then she ripped open the box and fumbled with the camera's encasing. Sleek and black, she explored all of the dents and knobs on the shiny rectangular equipment.

Thoroughly surprised and shocked, Ginny shook her head and smiled distantly as she focused on the first piece of paper. Written on the parchment in green letters, it stated; "Instructions for arrival."

'**Please disapparate from a muggle-free environment to the Gringotts Apparating Area, the Gringotts Hotel, the Bermuda Triangle; Bermuda at precisely 11:09 a.m. on Thursday morning.'**

11:09 a.m. - Ginny paused. Thursday! Ginny shot out of bed. "That's today, damn it!" she yelped as she banged her hip on her desk corner. "In fact," she realized, sock in hand, looking at her clock on the wall. 10:45 "Shit!"

As she bumped and tripped her way through her cheap London flat, hurriedly packing with magic, she grabbed at the unopened envelope and tore at the flap. It said that a room was waiting for her at the hotel, pre-paid, for 14 days.

Ginny sighed as she let her wand unconsciously finish the packing for her. Closing the suitcase, the flushed, and newly twenty-year old turned to Daly. "Well, let's not waste any more time." Daly hooted in agreement. She grinned and glanced at the clock one last time. 11:07, the smile left her as she gulped.

"I hate deadlines." Ginny locked Daly in his cage and brought him to the center of the room with her suitcase. Flicking her wand at her door, making sure it was locked, and glancing at the clock one last time, Ginny took a breath, and disapparated.

* * *

_I do not belong here_.

Draco had apparated to the last place he thought anyone of authority would look. The Bermuda Triangle.

While his families relationship with anything Gringotts had vanished since the war he still new of someone on this island with enough power of protection to tempt Draco into coming.

But as he walked the streets of the tiny village and felt the townsfolk and tourists watching him, the beginnings of recognition in their eyes, Draco began to feel as uneasy as he had in Malfoy Mannor. After a half an hour, he gave up and disapparated to a remote beach area. Finding a cool shady patch to lie on, he stretched out and enjoyed blissful release from the world around him, even if just for a moment.

* * *

"Oh, Daly, this is beautiful." Ginny breathed, view-struck, to her owl as they strolled on the street in the tiny town's marketplace. The owl hooted in reply from the perch on her shoulder. She tickled his belly. "It's a good thing you're not a big fat owl," she added, quieting her voice, as they passed a big fat owl. "Otherwise you would have been left in the room." Pausing to pick up a lunch, at a fruit vendor, the bell tower situated upon a small hill, chimed noon. As if all on cue, people started disapparating or slowly closing their shops.

"Rest time, chica linda," the native shop owner said to Ginny. "Lo siento, but you are going to have to enjoy fruit somewhere else. Muchas gracias para visitando."

"No problem," Ginny answered, taking off slowly, and trying to master her blush at the same time. The vendor's "chica linda/beautiful girl" comment was enough to get the red-head started. She smiled as a breeze rushed towards her, helping to push the blush down.

As she fed the last couple of grapes to Daly, Ginny spied a tiny path, leading off-road in a downward direction. Roped off at the entrance, and sporting a NO TRESSPASSING sign, made it irresistible. _Hmmm_… The owl gave his companion a look and then flapped his wings and flew off in the direction of the hotel.

_Fine_, thought the girl, a bit put-off, brushing away her hair that was blowing across her face. She started down the leafy trail alone. _It probably just leads to the beach_.

Ten minutes later, Ginny emerged from the tiny, twisted road, and stepped out onto the white sand. Discovering that she had landed herself on a private strip of beach, secluded by a natural cove, she discarded her sandals. "Cool," she announced to no one, wiggling her toes in the sand.

Walking softly towards the water through the fine grains of sand, Ginny scanned the horizon with her eyes. Stopping just so her toes would get hit by the lapping ocean, her hand went up to her freckled forehead and she looked to her left, up the beach.

She started when she discovered she was not alone. In a shady spot, some ten yards away, was a dark figure lying down on the weedy grass that grows near beaches. Ginny couldn't see his face from where she stood, partly because of the distance, and partly because the figure had his hands bent behinds his head; elbows blocking his face.

_Perfect opportunity to try out my camera,_ thought Ginny, as she started walking towards the dark shape on the ground. _Better ask his permission first, _Ginny thought of Ron and Hermione's reaction to her sneaking up on them one time.

The man wasn't sleeping, just staring off into space. As Ginny drew closer, she picked up her camera from the strings around her neck, looked up and said, "Excuse me, sir, I don't mean to bother you, but can I please take…" she trailed off in shock.

Twenty two year old Draco Malfoy turned lazily and regarded the stunned red head. "I don't know, weasel," he said with a smirk. "_Can _you?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Please review!! I swear I don't care what you say :)**

**JK Rowling=supreme owner of everything**

* * *

Ginny stepped backward, retracing her steps in the white sand, retracing her steps. Draco's smirk grew wider. "Fancy meeting you here, weasel," Draco continued into a long drawl. He studied her backward motion with interest. "Are you afraid?" he laughed "Good." Ginny stopped moving and shook her head.

"No. No, this is all wrong! Why do _you _have to be _here_, and of all places? Shouldn't you be in jail somewhere?" Ginny demanded with stunned anger.

"Why do I?" Draco was indignant. "Why do you? I mean, I _was_ here first. 'Course, I was born before you, so I was always here first…" he trailed off lazily and settled back into the sand.

"You didn't answer my question," she spat the last word to him, making him jerk his head, look at her, and glare.

"I'm here because I want to be here, alright weasel?" Taking his eyes off of hers, he resumed his position. "How about you-wait," he interrupted himself. "I don't care. How about you leave, so I can be relieved of your nasty piece of existence?" Draco had phrased the sentence like there was an audience, and Ginny noticed.

"Sorry, Draco," she countered. "No Crabbe or Goyle here to laugh at your lame excuses for insult. God, don't you ever just shut up?" she regretted that.

Draco abruptly stood up and strode over to the girl, making the differences in their statures clear, His 6'3" built frame towered over her 5'7" figure. He bent over and stuck his face into hers, which was tilted down from fright, yet eyes defiantly looking upwards.

"What?" he whispered, the noise cutting to the girl's ears. "Tell me what you said, girl. Refresh my memory." Steel eyes churned downward into wide brown ones.

"I said," Ginny started, gaining courage. "I said, shut up."

"Shut up?"

"Yea, shut up, you great stupid ferret." _Oops._

His eyes narrowed, remembrance flicking deep inside. Pushing her up against a tree, Draco closed the distance even farther, and closed off Ginny's ideas for escape.

"Let me make something very clear, Weasley," her name was disgusting in his mouth. "One, you are a girl, two, you are on _that_ side, three, you're Potter's girlfriend-"

Ginny interrupted, "No I'm not!"

"Let me FINISH!" Draco screamed into her face. "You're Potter's girlfriend, and finally, you. Are. A. Weasley."

Ginny had enough, she moved very slowly for her back pocket, the one holding her wand. Draco felt the movement, and grabbed both of her wrists. Squeezing them until the blood stopped.

Ginny's eyes shone with tears she refused to shed. "Ow," she whispered, voice wavering. "Ouch, you're hurting me."

"You're hurting me!" Draco mocked, squeezing her writs tighter and shaking her at the same time. He head smacked the tree and tears fell.

"Oh look," Draco sneered. "I made the weasel cry."

Ginny's thoughts were hurtling around in her head. A flash of an idea came to her, and she brought her knee up in between his legs; hard and fast. Control stopped Draco from letting her go as she had hoped, but rather it caused him to crunch her wrists with such force she heard a popping and crackling sound, followed by a stampede of pain.

Screaming, Ginny's legs gave way, forcing Draco to let go this time, allowing her to hit the ground.

"Mother f-" Draco let out, but Ginny's cries were far superior. Tears streaming down her face, she sobbed, "You broke them!" Both on the same level, Ginny furiously tried to kick sand in his face, and failed. She fell sideways and as Draco recovered and stood up, she tried pathetically to scoot away. At full height Draco looked down at her and felt distanced. He had hurt people before, this was no different.

"Oh god," Ginny's voice broke, the plea rasping up to Draco. "My wand, I need my wand…" The sobs grew faint. Draco saw her wand still in her back pocket and took a step forward. She twitched; "Get…away from…me" Draco halted and was reminded of an encounter, a year before, on top of a lonely hilltop. He shook his head and grabbed her wand. Ginny was no longer moving or making noise; she watched warily like and animal, playing dead until the danger passed. Unnerved, Draco placed the wand in her reach.

"Here," he straightened, hesitated, and walked away.

"I hate you!" Ginny's found voice tumbled after his retreating back. "Do you hear me, Malfoy? I HATE YOU!" he didn't turn, just disapparated.

Sobbing now that he was gone, Ginny scrunched over, stretching out her fingers, gasping with pain, to pick up her wand. Grimacing as she picked it up, and willed herself back to her room.

* * *

Draco was pacing again, a habit forming of late, in a cheap rental in a shady part of the town. He came to a wall, and glared at it. He was angry. Angry at everything. For his life, and everything that was fucked up in it and seeing that stupid, naïve Weasley girl just reminded him of how fucked up his life was.

He hid the all again. It's not like he was born ready to be a Death Easter. How could he have known in the womb who his parents were. Who they knew, what they did? He hit the wall harder.

It wasn't his fault. He was born innocent into the world, his world, of violent evil. And God damn it, even an island paradise wouldn't let him forget it. No, Ginny just had to be there reminding him of his horrible. Wasted. Existence.

With each punch the wood gave his fist deep splinters and dark bruises. He was so enraged, Draco didn't notice. He kept at the wall until he let his face fall against it, the coolness soothing. He slid down it until the floor found him. He punched the wall half-heartedly, this time his sleeve flew up, revealing a hasty decision, which he traced with his fingers for the rest of the day, until he fell asleep, bleeding, like a stubborn child, alone in the corner.

* * *

Daly hooted with disgruntled surprise as Ginny appeared on the floor before him. He softened his hoot when he saw she was hurt.

Fluttering down to see why, his mistress held out her wrists. He didn't understand but he rubbed his head comfortingly against hers.

"Accio information," Ginny commanded of her wand. Papers flew towards her. She ruffled through them, pain stabbing through her wrists. However, as she continues to search, the pain started to recede, replaced by a feeling of shock. Her breathing quieted and she started to sweat, and sluggishly concluding her search, she disapparated with Daly to the hospital on the island.

The witch behind the reception desk was tired. She yawned, flipping through Which Weekly.

"Excuse me," a slurred voice interrupted the reception witch's thoughts. Looking up, she saw an ashen faced girl, holding her hands up in front of her face.

"Broken wrists?" she asked, seeing how the girl held them out when their eyes had met. "That's the second floor-oh my!" the witch exclaimed as Ginny hit the floor in a dead faint.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you JK Rowling for owning everything...**

**(Boo)**

* * *

Ginny opened her eyes to an unfamiliar room. Daly was snoozing in the corner, perched on top of the interior window ledge. Ginny realized that he was the only familiar thing, and she tugged hard at the memories from before her faint.

_Malfoy. The fight. Draco Malfoy. My wrists…My wrists!_

She lifted them up and saw that they were fine. Moving them tentatively, she smiled.

"Yes, as good as new." A deep, accented voice from the doorway stated. Ginny looked up. A native, tanned, handsome healer looked back at her through glasses that put off his good looks slightly.

Ginny grinned and wondered why healers were always so cute. "Thanks so much. They feel good as new." She twisted and rotated them as if he needed a demonstration to prove what he already knew.

"You were in shock when you apparated here, and you fainted. You've been out for the whole day. You did wake up for a bit, but I don't expect you to remember that," Ginny's shaking head confirmed his statement. "Then you fell back asleep. It's about seven in the morning." He had walked over to the foot of her bed and, while he was holding her chart, he was starting at her, making the girl blush.

Ginny knew she was smiling stupidly, having nothing to say. Daly snorted, and Ginny turned appalled, but glad for a distraction from the healer's dark eyes. Her owl had spied the healer and Ginny saw that his eyes were narrowed.

Ignoring him, Ginny turned back to the charming healer, who hadn't noticed her owl, but who now was actually looking at her chart.

"I take that as an 'I'm free to go' speech?" Ginny asked, flirting.

"Uh, sure," nodded the healer distractedly, still looking at her chart. Ginny sighed, and turned back toward her owl who was looking strangely at the healer. Feeling defiant and brave, Ginny turned back toward the healer.

"My name's Ginny by the way," she stuck her tongue out at Daly who was now glaring at his mistress instead.

The healer looked up, surprised. "Oh, yes, yes I know, it says it on your chart."

Ginny's original confidence deflated. "Right," she tried not to stammer on such a small word. An uncomfortable silence passed between the two for a moment before the healer's eyes widened.

"Oh! I'm so sorry; my name is Eddie, Rikka. And yes, you are free to go." He had dropped the chart back onto the bed and held out his had to shake Ginny's. Daly tried to peck Eddie's hand and narrowly missed.

Ginny was mortified. "I am…that's my dumb owl…so sorry." Ginny had never wanted to hit an animal before in her life, but now…

But Eddie was laughing. "It's all right, animals have never really liked me, truly, I don't mind. Take care Ginny. And keep and eye on that owl." Eddie left the room rather quickly.

"Thanks," Ginny muttered to her pet. "What the hell was that for?" But as they were leaving, the girl found herself distracted. Stopping at the information desk, Ginny asked the sleepy witch for directions to the nearest Ministry outpost.

"There's only one," the witch had put down her magazine and was eying the girl warily, like she was going to faint on her watch again. "Take your first left and then past the bank, you can't miss it."

Ginny thanked the girl and headed in that direction. It took her five minutes to find the building and she walked inside, grateful for the shade.

The Ministry of Magic outpost was a cool, dark wooden building that was sagging from the humid tropical air that surrounded it. A sallow-faced, native wizard was sitting behind a comically high desk and he was lazily sorting paperwork with his wand, while a tiny fan circled his head, keeping him cool and awake.

Ginny stepped up to the warped counter and was suddenly struck with a feeling of unfounded nervousness, or rather unpreparedness like she always felt when she went to visit Harry or her dad at their work back in London. She frowned and subconsciously rubbed the bridge of her nose.

Wrapping her fingers around the counter, she cleared her throat. "I'd like to report a…um…sighting." Why was this man staring at her like she was an idiot?

"What kind of sighting?" the tiny wizard phrased condescendingly.

Ginny gathered herself. "I know for a fact that there is a free Death Eater on this island, and he should be dealt with immediately. Don't you think?" She finished, to her embarrassment, quite lamely.

The wizard behind the desk stopped moving his wand which caused the stacks of self-sorting papers that were hovering behind him to fall to the ground and scatter, covering the floor.

"Yeah," Ginny was relieved by his reaction. "Yeah, this is serious."

The wizard shifted his gaze to the double doors on his left. "Yes," he intoned in a lilting accent. "_Quite_ serious. Please follow me." Ginny hesitated for a moment, and then followed.

The desk wizard led her into a windowless room with a decrepit table, two spindly chairs and a tiny framed picture on the wall. "Please wait here, the Auror in charge will be with you in a moment."

Ginny squinted her eyes into a frown at the door that snapped shut and sounded suspiciously like it was being locked. She crossed over to the door and tried the handle.

She had to calm her breath before she got a change to hyperventilate with claustrophobia and to distract herself, she turned and crossed the room to the picture at the opposite end of the room.

The picture wasn't of very many people but Ginny saw the desk wizard, two attractive twin witches a pot bellied bearded man and…

"Eddie?"

The tall healer from the hospital earlier that day beamed up at her. Ginny stated to relax and started to smile back when the door opened and the pot bellied wizard from the photo walked in. He was followed by a heavily muscled wizard that Ginny hadn't seen in the picture.

Muscles too up a post standing behind Ginny. She looked at him confused until she turned her head again at the sound of her name.

"Ginerva Weasley is it?" The older wizard was settling into one of the delicate chairs and gestured for her to do the same. Her movements were staccato-like, punctuated by her confusion.

"My name is Bingham, and his is my associate Rolfton. We are the Ministry Auror representatives on this lovely island." He seemed to be waiting for a response.

"Um, hi," Ginny breathed. Bingham nodded.

"It has recently come to our attention that you are the possessor of knowledge on a certain Death Eater that is currently located on the island of Saint Almen?" His pomp and manner rocketed Ginny's memory back to Hogwarts potions class with Slughorn.

"Yes, I saw him earlier today, or yesterday. He-"

Bingham put up both his hands to stop her. They looked so stupid up there, Ginny wondered if she should high-five them.

"Everything is fine, Miss Weasley, we know who he is and the situation is under control. In fact, he had something to do with your wrists, didn't he?" The twinkle in his eyes scared Ginny.

"Yes! He did, he almost-!"

"Good, good. No, everything is in order. He is one of us. A small sacrifice to save millions…" Bingham trailed off looking misty-eyed and Ginny wondered if they were still talking about the same person.

"Anyway," Bingham continued, nodding to Rolfton who touched Ginny's shoulders, signaling that it was time for her to leave. "We would appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone. Identity protection and all…"

"I don't think we are talking about the same person here…" Ginny stated before they could shut her out of the room completely.

"I'm sure we are," replied the plump wizard condescendingly.

"How can we be?" Ginny was gighting against Rolfton now. "How can you call yourselves Ministry officials while you condone the actions of a Death Eater on this island!?" she realized she was shouting.

Bingham stopped jovially shuffling his papers and narrowed his eyes at the girl in the door frame, now being manhandled by his partner.

"Listen, Miss Weasely, we do not condone anything. And further more as you are not a Ministry official I would suggest that you keep your nose out of our business as you know not about what you speak."

Ginny's mouth was open. "Know not about what I speak…? Oh this is ridiculous," She was exasperated.

"I quite agree, so if you would be so kind…" On Bingham's cue, Rolfton gave Ginny one last shove out the door where it closed hurriedly on her rude hand gesture.

"Great," Ginny muttered, stalking out of the building, back into the humid air. "He gets away with everything in school, in the law… I can't even enjoy my vacation…"

But as Ginny walked through the streets, she found the island soak back into her, altering her mood. She would enjoy herself if it was the last thing…_Maybe I can get a nice tan. Cover up some of these freckles…_

She found Daly waiting for her outside the unhelpful Ministry building. "Good boy," she pet him distractedly as she walked back towards the hotel instead of apparating. She could do with a think.

_What the hell was Malfoy doing here anyway?_ She headed toward the fruit stall she had visited the day before, hungry for a late breakfast and a missed dinner. _Why did he always have to ruin everything?_

She passed the giant Gringotts bank and glanced up at the marble inscription of names depicting how much gold each family had donated. She stopped short, almost upsetting Daly. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were at the top of the golden plaque. Ginny rolled her eyes. Well now it made sense. _Malfoy was going to get away with anything as long as his parents owned the whole freaking island!_

Leaving the bank, Ginny wandered over to the fruit stall and cursed when she remembered that it was closed at noon. "Damn it." When Daly realized he wasn't gong to be fed, he immediately leapt off of Ginny's shoulder and headed straight into the forest to hunt.

Feeling strangely more alone then she had yet, Ginny traveled over to a banister overlooking the sea, Ginny leaned against it, and looked down into the churning clear water of the bay.

A pale and freckled face that she was tired of frowned upwards. Red hair, darkened to auburn by age crowned her round face. The men she had been involved with in the past had always whispered that she was so beautiful, each treasuring her milky skin, claiming that she was their porcelain goddess.

Ginny scoffed. Her skin was transparent, not praise worthy. Rubbing the bridge of her nose again, she signed. Noneof those relationships ever worked_. Especially not with Harry, or at least, not yet…_

Ginny shook her head trying to clear the regretful images from her head. Will power was not enough. All of her boyfriends had wanted something more from her. Love, the long term, and even now, she thought thinking of Harry, marriage.

_What the hell?_ She thought. _Aren't men supposed to hate commitment?! It was a stereotype but still._ Ginny hadn't been in a relationship that she had liked since…well…ever. Ginny shocked herself. She had never been in a relationship that she had liked.

That wasn't to say that she hadn't been _active_. No, Ginny had begun to prefer quick hookups over the gross, sweet relationships of the boyfriend/girlfriend type. Shuddering, Ginny remembered that in all of her relationships, the man had been too sensitive, to fairy tale…too into her.

_This is mental_, she told herself. _Most girls would be jealous of me. Fining men that are actually into me, most people rarely find that... Whatever_.

Turning around on the cue of a rumbling stomach Ginny plodded morosely back to the hotel in search of dinner or, at least, a sandwich.


	5. Chapter 5

**JK Rowling, unlike me, is a genius who deserves to own these characters.**

**God I hate that. At least I have the plot to sustain me...**

* * *

Draco was lying on his dirt saturated mattress when he heard a knock at the door. He had been drinking so at first, the knock sounded like it had been coming from his head.

He groaned and stood up, stiff and massaging his neck. Realizing that the noise was coming from the door, he stumbled over to it and wrenched it open. Glaring to hide his surprise, Draco was greeted by the sight of a darkly handsome healer, and two Ministry officials.

The tall blonde man swore to himself and began to back into his room when the healer spoke. "Draco Malfoy?" The stunned look on Draco's face was enough. The healer nodded. "My name is Edward Rikka and I am the chief healer for the hospital on Saint Almen." Draco was groping for his wand when Rikka held out his left arm and pulled up his sleeve. "Don't worry," he said smiling as the Dark Mark showed on his skin. "I'm part of the secret club too."

Draco dropped his wand on the table and relaxed a bit, looking at the other two behind Rikka, who were also showing him the Mark.

"What do you want?" The wizard behind Rikka stepped forward interrupting the healer.

"The name's Bingham and this is my partner Rolfton. We just wanted to welcome you to our little island." Bingham's laugh was sour underneath, his voice too slimy for Draco's liking, but the young blonde man was used to it from all the other Death Eaters in his life.

Draco rolled his eyes and turned away from the group to fix himself a drink. "Hi," he said dryly. Rikka too charge again, glaring at Bingham.

"We _also_ wanted to inform you that a witch was alerted to your presence as a Death Eater and reported it earlier this afternoon."

"Yea, I know." Draco said uncaringly as he sipped his drink watching Rolfton who was now nudging his cot with a greasy toe.

"Well, since we would rather not let the entire community onto our secret, I am going to keep a close watch on her until she leaves this island," said Rikka, businesslike.

Draco squinted his eyes over the rim of his cup. "Meaning…?" He didn't like the rotten lemon smell of the older, pot bellied wizard and wanted them to leave.

"We believe that she is…interested in me so I will play this to my advantage until she grows bored of sticking her nose where it doesn't belong." The three islanders watched Draco finish his drink and set the cup on the table. He looked up and smiled dully at them.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck on _that_ quest. Do you know who she is?" Draco tried not to laugh. "She's the girlfriend of Harry Potter. Plus she's a bitch so have fun. My blessing on the both of you," he refilled his cup still smiling at the shocked faces of the men before him. Draining the cup once more, Draco now reached for the bottle instead.

Rikka glanced at Bingham and stepped forward. "We would also like to ask you to remain a low profile while here. Of course we are glad that you have decided to visit-" Draco snorted, but Rikka continued. "But if you fail to remain unnoticed, we will have to ask you to leave. Do you understand?"

Draco wasn't really listening anymore. He waved them out and nodded, ignoring the strange looks his behavior was earning him. "Fine," stated Rikka, motioning for his companions toward the door. "Well if you are ever interested in joining us for a…drink…you are of course more than welcome."

Draco nodded once, smiling ironically at the trio who quickly left the hut with as much dignity as they could muster. When the door finally closed on his intruders, Draco hiccoughed into uneven laughter.

"What were they thinking, coming here?" he asked himself. "I'm Draco _Malfoy_ for goodness sake, what did they think they were _doing?_"

He then launched into an inebriated dialogue with himself.

"Well it's not like you exude any of the qualities of a Malfoy anymore, Draco. Sitting in this _disgusting _shack all day, drinking and talking to yourself-"

"How dare you!" He interrupted himself. "How dare you…but you're right. I suck." He giggled at the sound of that word and meditated on it for a bit. "Suck," he stated, trying out different voices. "Suck, suck, suck, suck, suck." Draco sucked on the bottle.

Eying the level of the liquid inside he noticed that the color of the stuff was a deep red, the same color as the Weasley girl's hair. "Disgusting color," he slurred to himself. Then he whipped his body around to the door. "Well you can have her!" He yelled at the long gone visitors to his wretched room. "She won't have you, even if she is a bit of a slut! She's Potter's girl," and he laughed with delight. "Ooh, I can't wait until you find out little Eddie."

Draco tried to dance but the movement made his stomach slosh quite ominously. Sitting, or rather, falling down, he missed the mattress and hit his back rather hard against the floor. Ignoring his pathetic state, he thought about Rikka and the Weasley girl having sex and it made him angry.

She represented to him, in his drunken state, the purity of the life he could have led, and Rikka stood to corrupt all of that goodness again, and his life didn't deserve it. "No!" Draco shouted. "No! She's my life! You can't have my life! I don't want to give it to you!" He tried, and failed to stand up. "God fuck it, I don't want this life…" he trailed off quietly. "No thanks," he slurred. "No thanks."

Done talking to himself, Draco was now totally alone, and he finished the bottle and toasting drunkenly to no one.


	6. Chapter 6

**JK Rowling owns it all...**

**all but the plot.**

* * *

A day after her hospitalization, Ginny was awoken by a letter. A strange owl was perched next to Daly holding a hastily scrawled not from Eddie. Ginny got her girly side under control as she quickly unraveled the note.

**Ginerva-**

**If I put this off any longer, I will be too nervous…**

**I know this place that serves the island's best dinner, and I was hoping that you would accompany me, as friends, or course. I will meet you in the lobby of the hotel at 8 tonight.**

**Eddie.**

Ginny's eyebrows were raised. She didn't like how he said 'accompany' and how he called her 'Ginerva', he sounded a bit like a tosser when he wrote that but he also did say just as friends…Ginny was also charmed by his tone at the end of the note, where it was implied that she would be there at 8 and he didn't need an owl back to tell him this.

His confidence put a smile on Ginny's face and she spent the rest of the day tanning and taking pictures at the hotel's beach, thinking of something to wear.

Around 7, she had decided on a deep teal sundress that accented both the island's style and her coloring. She washed her hair and let it down, drying about her shoulders, wavy in the humidity.

She looked at her hair in the mirror. She had let it grow quite long this year, and it was just below her shoulders, framing her torso in a, she thought, pretty way. Ginny deliberately waited until 8 before she left her room but was annoyed when the staircase wasn't as grand as she thought it should be and she almost tripped on the fraying rug.

Eddie was waiting for her and when he smiled up at the girl, she had to remember that they were going as just friends.

Ginny hoped that the beginnings of her pathetic tanning attempt would disguise her blush. A glance in the mirror along the side of the stairwell told her it didn't.

But Eddie's smile relaxed Ginny and she too grinned, comfortable and excited to find someone this nice on her trip. Eddie offered his arm. "You look great," he said, conversationally. "Were you able to get some sun today?" Ginny took his arm and laughed at his tiny frown that allowed his healer side to show through.

"Yes," she conceded as they began to walk outside. "But it didn't work. Still pale as ever." She held up her other arm for proof. Eddie grinned along with her.

Falling into easy conversation, they strolled down the busy streets. Ginny was charmed by the many tiny lights that she usually associated with Christmas.

The restaurant was easy enough to find although it was a tiny place, with a deck out back covered thickly by a canopy of palm leaves and tropical ivy. Ginny couldn't help but laugh at this, and when she and Eddie were escorted to their table, he asked her what was so funny.

"Oh! Nothing, it's just that this is how everyone will imagine this restaurant to look like at home when I tell them about tonight." Ginny looked around at the gorgeous scenery.

Eddie smirked, reminding Ginny of someone too familiar... "And why will you be telling your friends at home about his night, Ginerva?"

Ginny almost choked on her glass of water. "Um…er…well…no reason. And please, call me Ginny, everybody else does." She distracted herself from his eyes by playing with the lime in her water.

Eddies just laughed. "All right, Ginny, and I was just teasing you." Ginny reciprocated his smile and they watched each other in a comfortable silence until the waiter came to ask them if they were ready.

Ginny realized that she hadn't even opened the menu and started to flip through it, rushed and flustered. Eddie reached across the table and pushed the paper flap down, not looking at the waiter. "She'll have the Brazilian Picanha, and I'll have the Yellowfin tuna, rare. And of course, two glasses of the Chardonnay as well." Ginny couldn't look at Eddie so she smiled up at the waiter, who looked like this had happened before, and handed him her menu.

"Thanks, Eddie, I can order for myself you know…" Eddie waved her comment away.

"Ah but I told you I know the best place for dinner and you have never been here before so you will have not known what to order, I told you?"

Ginny smiled at this sensation of a _man_ across from her and his slight lapse away from perfect English when he got excited. The meal came surprisingly quickly and Eddie noticed Ginny's delight.

"I kind of know everybody on this island, well everyone knows everyone here but still, I fix their children and they fix my meal better, sorry, faster. It's great, especially when you get to impress someone." He nodded enough to the waiter who had arrived to pour the wine.

Ginny watched as her glass was full and almost whispered, "So, you're out to impress me now?" Glancing up at Eddie she was surprised to find him looking nervous, and bashfully grinning at her.

"Well, who is keeping score?"

Ginny laughed.

* * *

Eddie found that he was enjoying himself. With what Malfoy had told him before and with his first duty to the island security, he had believed that he was in for a horrible evening, let alone for the next week. But once again he had underestimated the power of wine and an attractive woman to get him going. And she was attractive.

Even for a supporter of the other side, the girl had a certain, he didn't know, something extra about her. Besides, Eddie comforted himself. He didn't really care about sides anymore, Rolfton was right; the island had a softening effect on everyone. Well, he still enjoyed a good bit of muggle sport now and again, but he found himself not really caring about sides now that the Dark Lord was gone.

And Eddie did believe that he was gone. There was no doubt about that, Eddie was not so delusional to believe, as most of his friends did that they needed to keep up on 'being evil' or other such nonsense. It was like a book he had read for class on a muggle dictator once. After he died, the war he had created kept going for some time, and then, his supporters…_oh what did they call them, Nizis or something_…they all fled to South America.

And that, being where Eddie had been living for some time, seemed like a perfectly good excuse as any, at least for the time being, to keep living there…here. Now he was messing up English in his head while he was supposed to be paying attention to the pretty girl across from him.

"I'm sorry _linda_, what did you say? I was listening to my wine in the head instead of you." Eddie loved how sometimes; he had enough charm left over for himself. He toasted himself for that feat with another sip of wine.

He even found himself liking the way she blushed. Normally, he went for dark girls, darker than him even, in skin and soul. But he was as drawn to this foreign girl as a flower was to the sun.

"Nothing," Ginny stammered. "Nothing important, I was just remarking on the island, and how much I would love to stay here forever. Do you like living here, so far from any mainland?"

Eddie struggled out of the foggy depths of his mind to answer. "To me, this is the mainland. Besides, you can do magic wherever you want without any mudbloods seeing you." He saw Ginny stiffen.

"What did you say?" The red-heads eyes, before dancing with the candles, now blazed with their own fire.

_Puta! I thought she was a pure-blood._ Then something clicked in Eddie's mind. _'She's Potter's girlfriend!_' Malfoy's voice rang out in his head. _Mierde, I am an idiot!_ "Uh, Ginny, I'm sorry I didn't mean it. Do you have someone you know with this affliction?" That made it worse. Thank goodness she didn't shout like other females. Her voice just got low and coarse.

"Yes, one of my best friends, and it is in no way and _affliction!_"

"I'm sorry Ginerva, the wine, you know…" he touched his head and tried to smile charmingly. It didn't work.

"I'm sorry, Eddie, but I don't know." Ginny was looking at her hands. "And I told you to call me Ginny."

Eddie was getting annoyed now. Why was it always _his_ job to keep an eye on everything? And why were emotional women always landed on him? It wasn't fair, plus he had been so excited with how the dinner was going, he had drunk too much wine.

"Oh don't be so bitchy about your name. It's not like you are wearing a nametag and everyone gets it wrong." Eddie watched her eyebrows shoot up in response to this. But she wasn't screaming, not yet anyway, and Eddie wondered how long he could keep toeing the line before she snapped.

"You're right; I seemed to have forgotten my name tag at home." A faint smile played on her lips, like she was struggling to hold something back…like she didn't want to create a scene.

_That's it!_ Eddie thought. _That's why she's being so calm or trying to anyway._ He almost laughed. Their dinner was almost over anyway so when he rose and offered her his arm, she took it too fast, and Eddie knew he was right: she couldn't wait to get out of the restaurant so she could start yelling at him.

They exited to tiny building to the stares of people anyway, as Ginny was bright red and Eddie had a reputation. _All in all, _thought Eddie as they left as a couple. _She's still holding my arm so I didn't completely fail._

To his surprise she held his arm all the way until the hotel entrance, only letting go when she was in view of the concierge desk. The same odd smile was still playing about her lips and Eddie had a strong urge to kiss them, just curious to see what fire tasted like. He decided to try it.

"Listen, Ginny, I am sorry for what I said back at the restaurant. Its just that we have a certain way around the island and words don't really mean the same things down here as they do where you're from." He smiled, pushing his native act on her. "Here, let me make it up to you, let us walk up the beach and I will tell you more about my island."

"_Your _island?" Ginny said, doubtful and still annoyed, but with the fact that she had responded at all, Eddie knew he had her.

* * *

Ginny's evening was not going how she had planned. First the 'just friends' thing hadn't worked out as they were flirting so intensely over dinner, she hadn't registered just how much wine had been drunk.

And secondly, he had insulted her by using that foul word; she just hadn't thought he was capable of such bigotry.

But wine had been drunk and Ginny had always, always, wanted to go for a walk on the beach with a handsome man on a tropical island at night. _I mean, come on, who wouldn't want to?_ She smirked as they headed toward the water, hand in hand instead of arms. She had surprised herself all evening and now with Eddie crooning the secrets of his island into her ear, she decided to surprise herself once more in thinking that nothing else could ruin the rest of her night.

An hour later, Eddie brought Ginny to the front of the hotel for a second time that evening and left her with just one kiss. Ginny had been hoping for more, she admitted that much to herself. But she had like this new pace of not to fast not too slow. _Plus he's so hot, _she whined tipsy to herself as she made her way up the stairs to her room. _Who the fuck cares? I'm by myself on vacation, I can do what I want and I've certainly hooked up with worse._ Besides, they hadn't even hooked up yet anyway, and Ginny was far from worried.

* * *

But hidden in the darkness across from the light of the hotel Draco Malfoy was watching his chance at a new, pure life, a life that Ginny represented, slip from his grasp. And he didn't like it. He drank deeply from the bottle he held in his hands and almost choked when she was kissed by...he couldn't tell until the man turned around.

"Rikka..." Draco growled.


	7. Chapter 7

**JK Rowling owns it all...but I can at least take solace in the fact that I made up this plot.**

**Thank you to all my readers so far and please, for the character's sake, Keep reviewing!!!**

* * *

Eddie was feeling quite redeemed when he left the hotel and started walking back towards his house. He knew two things.

One, that Ginny liked him very much. Although they hadn't touched upon the subject of her being involved with Potter yet…Eddie still knew.

Two, that while he didn't really like her, he could probably sleep with her, and at least it would give him something fun to do until she left. Then he would have kept an eye on her and had sex. _Two birds_…he thought happily, unaware of his watcher in the shadows.

Eddie picked up his pace as he rounded the brightly lit street into a more domestic part of town, eager to fall asleep. But someone had other plans for him.

* * *

Draco Malfoy had decided to make his move, tonight, of all nights, when he was especially drunk. He stepped out from the shadows, behind Eddie, which damped the dramatic effect quite a lot because Eddie didn't notice him until Draco called out.

"Hey, Rikka. What's up, I've come for that drink." Eddie whipped around, surprised but not scared.

"Hello, Malfoy, I have to say, I didn't think you would take me up on that offer, especially so soon and…at such a time." Eddie stopped walking, allowing the stumbling Draco to catch up.

"Yeah, well…" Draco was annoyed at how well Eddie recovered from the shock of meeting him in a dark street. If shocked at all. He didn't look like he had been scared… "I was just out in the…neighborhood and I couldn't help you notice with the Weasley girl. I mean help notice you." Draco tried not to laugh. But Eddie did.

"What do mean following me?"

"Following you?" Draco spluttered, badly masking his anxiety of being found out so soon. "I wasn't following you. But what _were _you doing with her anyway?"

Eddie sighed, already tired of this game. "I told you yesterday. I need to keep an eye on her so she doesn't tell the authorities or the public about who we really are. And that includes you by the way so I am doing you a bit of a favor." Eddie knew Draco was probably to loaded yesterday to remember.

"Yeah, so?" Draco had stopped walking under a street lamp so he could better see his contender. "That is my life you are ruining. Do you understand? MY life and I don't want you screwing it up again, just the way you all did before."

Eddie had no idea what he was talking about. This drunken blonde upstart was beginning to really agitate him. _Nothing like his parents_…

"What the hell are you talking about, Malfoy. I'm just going to watch her then maybe fuck her and then she'll be on her way. I didn't know you were such a…how do you say it? A _prude_."

Draco was taken aback and actually took a few steps in the other direction, more out of necessity of maintaining balance than anything else. "No. No, it's _you_ who doesn't understand. I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I was young, and neither does she. She doesn't know who you are!" Draco was bent over pointing the bottle at Eddie when it dawned on the healer.

"You like her don't you?"

Draco straightened up, gathering back some semblance of his older, more sober, self. "No. No, I do not."

Eddie was trying not to laugh. "Yes you do, it makes sense, come Malfoy admit it. Why would you be defending a defender of mudbloods in this way if you did not have feelings for her?"

Draco blinked slowly. "You said that too fast but I don't like her or mudbloods alright? Just stay away from her."

"I won't." Eddie began to see just how entertaining the next week of his life would be. A fellow Death Eater in love with the hot girl he would fuck right under his nose. Oh this was perfect; it gave him a sense of purpose like he felt from the old days. "And I don't believe this nonsense about you not liking her because your actions prove otherwise." And with that, he disapparated.

Draco sat down next to the lamppost and as a result, smashed his bottle. "I really am sorry," he said to the lamp. "I didn't mean for this to happen, for you to get contaminated too." He tried to sop up the liquid from the lamp's base with his wand. When that didn't work he took off his sweatshirt and laid it on the ground. "Maybe I can clean this up." He sat a little straighter. "Maybe I can fix it."

He tried to disapparate to his shack but only succeeded in making it as far as the Gringotts hotel's beach. Confused as to why he was here, and without a sweatshirt, he lay down in the sand and closed his eyes, determined to find out where he was in the morning.

* * *

Ginny woke up rather early the next morning despite her late night. She blamed it on the alcohol; she always woke up earlier than usual if she had been drinking. _Even if it only was a couple of drinks._

She sighed and stretched quietly, trying not to wake Daly. She had forgotten to close the curtains leading out to her room's balcony and after making herself a coffee she retired to the balcony and, for her owl's sake, shut the blinds firmly behind her. Settling into her chair she let her mind wander over her night she had which had the potential of ending so badly.

Settling back into the chaise she let her eyes close as she thought of her family and how much they would enjoy being here…

"Oi!" A shout caused Ginny's eyes to fly open. "You don't belong here, are you a guest?" She went to the balcony and looked down the short three story distance to a hotel worker and someone passed out on the sand below.

Embarrassed for the someone, Ginny retreated back to her chair when she heard a voice that ruined the rest of her morning. "My parents essentially own this island so yes, I would say I'm a guest. But isn't that what you put on your brochures? 'Everyone's a guest' bullshit?"

Ginny ran to the balcony and looked down again. Sure enough, Draco Malfoy in all the glory of a hangover was being unceremoniously pulled off the beach by a security wizard of the hotel.

He looked so stupid that she had to stifle a laugh. Hearing this, Draco looked up. "In fact, there's my wife now." Ginny's mouth dropped open. "Hello wife-y dearest!" Draco was waving quite jovially up at her that she looked up to the next balcony to see if there was another girl hanging over a railing. Satisfied that she was alone, Ginny turned back to the scene below her, astonished and completely at a loss for words.

"Ginerva, darling, be a dear and tell the nice man I just wanted to sleep out underneath the stars last night."

Ginny almost gagged. "Stars! Really!" But Draco interrupted the already almost mute girl.

"See, just like she said, stars." He grinned at the man so widely, Ginny couldn't help but giggle.

The security wizard looked between the odd pair for a moment then walked way complaining about the early hour of the day. Ginny watched him go and when she returned her eyes to where Draco had been standing a moment before, she was met with nothing but empty sand, with footprints leading towards away from the hotel.

Crashing through the blinds, she woke Daly up and in her furious rush to leave the room, didn't even apologize.

Draco cursed his stupidity and his fondness for rum and his stupidity again. He brought his walk up almost to a jog, he wanted out of the vicinity so fast. _What the hell was that, Draco? _He was sober now, and kept his questions to himself in his head. _Under her window too, of all the places…_

He heard footsteps behind him and thought it was the security wizard back with reinforcements. He whirled around, wand out, but instead was met by the sight of Ginny Weasley, coming to goat no doubt. But a second glance at her made him bite his lip with laughter.

Ginny's red hair was very messy and she was barefoot in pajama bottoms that looked like a hand-me-down from one of her brothers, a ratty tank top all capped off with a cheesy bathrobe from the hotel. "Jesus, weasel, you sounded like a whole bunch of security wizards to me, you run like a pack of elephants. How about pushing back the plate once in a while, eh?"

Ginny let this insult slide off her. "A bit paranoid, are we Malfoy? Why are you so afraid this morning, drunken debauchery not go right last night? Why weren't you with a girl? Or were you and now you can't find her?" _Alright Ginny, that was lame_, Draco thought, but he smiled in spite of himself.

"Don't smirk at me, Malfoy. I don't want you on this island anymore than you want me on this island so let's agree that it's big enough to allow us to avoid each other for the rest of our stay here, deal?"

Draco sensed an end to their conversation and for some reason, his mouth wanted to prolong it. "What if I decided to stay forever?" He announced, childishly.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Congrats if you do, I don't care, I'm only here for about a week more so I'll be out of your greasy hair soon." Draco's stomach did a flip.

"So soon?" he asked, thinking of Rikka.

"Yeah," Ginny said suspiciously. "So sorry to disappoint."

"Oh no," Draco said, way too happily. "Not disappointing at all." He knew he was being far too cheerful to be smooth but he didn't care.

* * *

Ginny watched her enemies retreating back and thought it too good of an opportunity to miss. She fired a Bat Bogey Hex at Draco and enjoyed his animalistic shrieks until she was out of earshot and back in her hotel room, petting a still ruffled Daly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone. Sorry this is so long in coming and so short...**

**I have nothing on JK Rowling. She owns...  
**

* * *

Ginny spent the next couple of days to her self, enjoying the scenery and capturing it all on camera. Mostly she just liked being alone.

And taking pictures.

And not talking to anyone.

Especially Eddie.

_Why hadn't he written_?

Okay, so she didn't like being alone.

She had no idea what to make of anything these days.

Ginny knew she was used to spending all her time alone in her apartment in London, but now…on the island…

She guessed because it was all the company and events that had happened over the past couple of days. Of course, seeing Draco reminded her of Hogwarts and how much fun she had with all of her friends.

And Eddie…

Well he reminded her of the lovely life that she could be having if it wasn't for the war and her screwed up mental state when it came to boyfriends.

_I'm just too…weird._ Ginny shrugged at herself. _Mum would die if she knew what I am thinking._ A slow smile crept over the girl's face as she thought of her mother's reaction. _Probably want to have a nice long chat about it. Hermione too._

With a pang in her chest she realized that she missed everyone from home quite a lot. She also realized that she missed them all more when she was thousands of miles away as opposed to in the same country.

_Hmm…_Ginny mused to herself, jokingly. _Maybe _that's _why I got this present. It's a ploy to get me to miss them all and recant photography and marry Harry._

She giggled to herself as her camera clinked satisfactorily on its strings. There was no way she would give this up.

She had only confided to two people about her passion while in school: Fred and George. And they had encouraged her, but she still wanted to keep it a secret. For some reason she just wasn't ready to let people know that she had that artsy 'sensitive' side to her.

And once she had seen Fred and George buy their own premises in Diagon Alley, and start their own business, she had filled her head with the daydream of opening a studio. Or at least placing her still photos in a muggle gallery.

_Or something. _Ginny thought, clicking the shutter and capturing a lazy turtle half hidden in the ferns.

But once the war had started, there hadn't been any time to think about that. After she graduated from Hogwarts taking pictures could no longer be a pastime, it had to be a job.

_Money, money, money._ Ginny didn't like how it ruled the world, but she did like to eat, so she had turned to the Daily Prophet and other wizarding magazines to relieve her debts, and to her surprise, they took her photos.

Apparently no other photographer would go near the fighting like she did and there is always a market for violence among people of any kind.

Ginny found a shady spot under a large palm tree and lay down, pointing her camera up towards the foliage to catch the light playing through the leaves.

_Of course, _she thought, _not everyone had been so accepting of her hobby as the twins and the Prophet._ She remembered when she told her friends and family that she didn't want to fight anymore, just to stand unhelpfully on the sidelines and document history instead.

Her mother, Bill and Charlie had all shouted at her, like she knew they were going to.

'_What?!"_ She remembered them shrieking.

'_Ginny, how could you want to not help us? Help all of us!?'_

Hermione had looked at her funny, like she had been expecting more of the red-head, Harry just stared; he wasn't used to someone not liking and wanting to fight as much as him. Ron. Ginny sighed. Ron had _laughed. _Until he realized it wasn't a very poor joke.

But her father's reaction, that had been the worst. He just looked old and tired and ashamed of bringing up a lazy daughter who had no will to be a noble Gryffindor like the rest of them.

But that was two years ago, and although it had taken them all some time to get over the initial shock, she _had_ been given the camera for her birthday after all.

But still, Ginny suspected that they all would be a whole lot happier with her choice of job if it had included bashing the Death Eaters in the face with her camera instead.

_Well who says I want to kill people anyway? Or even fight them for that matter?_ She had gotten a taste for that kind of stuff her sixth year at Hogwarts and she had never really gotten over the shock.

And she never thought she really would.

'_I'm fine,' _she had insisted to Harry, Ron and Hermione when they noticed her looking pale and keeping to herself that summer. But then they had been so swept up in the mayhem that the resulting Death Eaters were adamant on making that they had quite forgotten about her.

Not that she blamed them, she really didn't mind being left alone…except for now, on this island; she was beginning to mind very much.

Ginny lay under the tree for a few more minutes, moping. Then, realizing that she was being silly dwelling about the past, about something that had already happened, she stood up.

_Best not to dwell, _she told herself firmly. _Besides, I'm missing the experience of being on vacation just lying here doing nothing._

_

* * *

_Across town, a certain blonde wizard was doing exactly that: nothing. After being shamefully hexed by Ginny and having to accept the pitying help of a passerby, Draco was pissed.

And exhausted.

And he had a huge headache.

_Merlin, being drunk all the time isn't that great._

Draco smiled grimly, he had been taught that lesson a lot by his body, but he never seemed to learn.

He felt like he should be doing something, like getting back at that Weasley girl for hexing him while his back was turned. That kind of insult to his competency and intelligence as a wizard practically screamed at his mind to get even.

But right now, Draco turned on his side and tried to control his gagging reflex. Right now, he wanted to sleep.

Sleep off the alcohol, the hex, the last two years…_everything._

All he wanted to do right now was to close his eyes and never wake up again.

Managing to at least summon some water, he wet his dry mouth and grimaced as he swallowed the much needed liquid.

_Well Draco, _he thought to himself, gently chugging the water. That's _depressing._

But it was true; he didn't want to deal with any of the shit in his life and in the world anymore. He was bloody fucking tired of it all. Of all the fighting, of the world he had been forced into…

_It's not like I_ chose _to be a Malfoy_, Draco thought angrily, setting his water jug on the floor with a loud clang. _I mean, not 'evil' anyway_…

He knew he was spoiled when he was a child and he had liked it, but as he grew up and his family's fortune started to change, he realized just how much energy everyone was wasting by being so damn oppositional.

Draco knew he was feeling sorry for himself and that his father would just use this interior monologue as further proof of his sons weakness, but he didn't care.

_It seems like you don't care about a lot of things, these days._ Draco heaved another heavy sigh and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling.

It wasn't laziness, and even if it was, Draco would never call it that so he labeled it instead with words that made him feel better about it, such as 'detachment' and 'apathy'.

_I'm probably just being a pussy._ Draco closed his eyes to try and never wake up, but it wasn't working.

Even if it had worked, Draco knew that there was nobody waiting for him on the other side, absolutely nothing. He hadn't done anything spectacular in his life, well nothing good anyway, and he knew that there would be no reward at the end of his road.

_I'm just so damn tired, _he told himself again. _Tired of everyone and everything I know._ This wasn't getting him anywhere, that he knew, but he also knew that it felt good to get it off his chest.

_I hate them all._ He thought, bitterly. _And I hate myself for hating them._ Well now he was confused.

He didn't even know who 'all of them' were. The world, he supposed.

He abruptly sat up. "Draco, this isn't getting you anywhere, so just stop thinking about it." _Oh great, I'm talking to myself again._

Feeling that his nausea, and depression, was under enough control that he could stand, he did so and crossed the tiny room to the table. Lowering himself into a crouch, he was eye to eye with three bottles of amber liquid.

He dropped his eyes, hesitating for a second. He didn't know what was wrong with him. _I'm tired of being so judgmental, of everyone._ He recanted his earlier statement and decided that he would not go to sleep forever, no not forever, _At least not now,_ he smiled wryly. _But at least for the rest of the day._

He reached for a bottle. "So," he stated, unscrewing the bottle."So, I'll drink some more." The glass clinked and the sound make Draco grin. "Then I'll love them all!"

Draco poured himself a drink._  
_  
"And then I'll drink even more!!!" Draco realized that he was shouting, and he didn't care. He kept pouring and pouring and he watched, still uncaring, as the glass overflowed and spilled onto the table.

_I'll hate myself even more than I did before._

_

* * *

_**Ooohh poor Draco. I love it when he gets like this, I really do.**

**Yea so this chapter is kinda short because I just wanted to get an update out there.**

**And yes I know they haven't made out yet (boo) but they will soon! but I definetly had to get this chapter out of the way, in order to explain their emo-ness to the world!**

**Maybe they'll find comfort in each others arms...  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Yay! Another update! (finally) I know, but my parents were all like "what are you always typing on that computer of yours? Come interact with the family"**

**and i was like "mom its fan fiction, its very important."**

**and she was like "what is that? is that where you don't get paid to write whatever you want badly?"**

**and i was like "sigh" and then i went downstairs to dinner**

**reviiiiieeewww**

**jk rowling is the bane of my existance because she owns everything  
**

* * *

Ginny was pissed. After clearly stating to herself not to dwell on the past, she had done exactly the opposite. She was now pacing in her hotel room after fleeing from the beach where pacing just looked weird.

It's not like she wasn't used to getting weird looks, Ginny had been getting them since people had started to see her with Harry and even before that. Looking down at her white stomach and legs she thought: _Probably because I'm so pale._

But now that her mind wouldn't let the subject of her past go, she gave up and let the memories return. They came in droves, and they were painful.

After a few minutes of pacing and reminiscing, Ginny thought of the person that had caused the opening of the floodgates.

She could feel the blood rush to her cheeks in anger as she thought of the vile man who had ruined her trip. _Yes ruined_, she decided on the word with some resolution. _Ruined_ _completely_. Or at least that's what it felt like to her at the moment.

Her hands balled into fists as she tried to control her shaking and the urge to smash something when she realized, with a slightly calming effect, that she was an adult. And as such, she could simply go _talk _to the slimy git to relieve this stress.

Setting a hardened grimace upon her face, Ginny stormed out of the hotel in search of Draco Malfoy.

After an hour of searching, she had come up empty handed. Sweating, she pushed a lock of damp hair out of her eyes and exhaled, annoyed.

_I have used every spell I can think of_, she thought angrily. _He must have his place Hidden. Stupid Death Eater._

Ginny had been walking around the posh upper-class side of town for sometime, before realizing that he could be anywhere, although it seemed unlikely that he would have taken up residence on Lower Island.

Still, she had checked and turned up with nothing.

Swearing to herself, Ginny began stomping back in the direction of the hotel. At least she could cool down in the water; she looked down at herself, grateful for her choice of a two piece bathing suit and sarong tied around her waist instead of actual clothes.

Ginny froze, thinking of another beach where she had first seen the bastard she was now so eagerly looking for. Tucking her wand in the knot of her sarong, Ginny set her jaw stubbornly and apparated to the private strip of beach she found her first day on the island.

* * *

_People drink on the beach all the time._ Draco thought, toasting himself.

Taking a huge gulp he almost choked when Ginny apparated with a crack before him.

"Starting a little early are we, Malfoy?" Draco was impressed by Ginny's sneer.

"What are you doing here?" he said hoarsely, rubbing his throat.

"I came because I wanted to tell you to leave me alone!" Ginny could hear herself now, and she knew she sounded stupid.

Draco looked confused. "Leave you alone? You didcome _looking _for me…"

"Shut up!" Ginny yelled, and then, gathering herself under control again she said, "I know. But I just came to tell you that I never want to see you again and to do that you're going to have to leave the island."

"What?!"

"You heard me, or are you too drunk to comprehend anything as simple as a demand?" Ginny crossed her arms and smirked down at his form in the sand, confident in her position.

Draco self-consciously placed the bottle behind his back. "Listen, weasel-bitch, just because you want me to leave doesn't mean I have to, Merlin, didn't your stupid Auror friends teach you about free will?" Draco paused, letting his eyes widen with false feeling. "Oh that's right, they probably don't like that you became…what is it again?" Draco trailed off, amused.

"A. Photographer." Ginny's teeth ground together.

"Right," Draco pushed the bottle farther behind his back. "Well, this had been fun, but I'm tired of being used by you for your little games so next time Eddie doesn't satisfy, please don't come bothering me."

Ginny's mouth dropped open and Draco relished in the satisfaction that was a good insult.

"What?!" it was her turn to choke out. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"It means that I know you, weasel. I know your type. Got a thing for pain, do you? Well I really can't be held to the beck and call of a pain-whore, so please apparate away or something."

Ginny couldn't control herself any longer. "You have no idea what you are talking about!" She shrieked. "And _what_, pray tell, does Eddie have to do with any of this?"

Draco gave up on trying to hide the drink behind his back and fixed Ginny with a cold stare. "Well he's a Death-ACK!"

Draco clutched at his throat for a second time, but turning blue in the process.

"What's the matter, Malfoy, ferret got your tongue?" Ginny giggled at herself.

As soon as Draco stopped trying to tell Ginny about Eddie being a Death Eater, the invisible choke hold went away.

Ginny looked down at her enemey. "A what? A Death…what? A Death Eater? Oh come on Malfoy."

"It's true," Draco rasped, throat burning. "I just can't tell you about it."

"I don't give a fuck about what you can and can't tell me! And he's not a fucking Death Eater you stupid drunk, you probably just made that up! And I have no idea what you are getting on about this 'pain' thing. I had a perfectly nice time with Eddie the other night, and just because he hasn't written back to me…"

Draco shrugged. He was getting bored of this whole situation and he wanted out. Plus, he was running low on rum. He looked up to see if Ginny would notice if he took the last couple of swigs from the bottle.

But Ginny wasn't looking at him. She was now clearly thinking about the fact that Eddie hadn't written to her, her face was flushed from their yelling but her eyes were now downcast, and there was a slight frown on delicate face.

Draco felt something stir in the pit of his stomach. He hoped it was the alcohol.

"Well I-I'm sure he just has-hasn't had the time, you know…" Ginny trailed off into a whisper and looked determinedly towards the ocean, hair blowing backwards off her face. She wasn't going to let Draco see her cry.

He suddenly took a step towards her.

Ginny refused to move back this time and fiercely stood her ground. Looking up stubbornly into his eyes, Ginny mean to dare him to do his worst and she was expecting to meet a gaze of pure loathing and anticipated violence.

Instead, the girl was met with a curious expression; one filled with…_reckless abandon?_ Now Ginny was worried: if it had been anger she would have been fine, she was expecting hate. Anything but this look that was foreign to her as it appeared on her opponents face.

Draco suddenly reached out and pinned her arms to her side, bodies held apart by his arm length.

Ginny thought he was going to break her arms this time and wriggled to reach for her wand.

Feeling the movement, Draco bent to cover the distance between them and placed his lips, quite forcefully, on her. To still her movements, he would tell himself later. He didn't want to get hexed again.

Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley stood there for a moment, bodies not touching, Ginny's eyes open wide in shock, Draco's squeezed tightly shut.

Ginny gained a hold of her brain again and protested the action taking place and Draco, apparently coming to his senses as well, released her in shock. But before he could hide it, Ginny saw the soft look in his deep grey eyes. Draco looked like he was trying to find his voice.

"Listen…I...weasel…"

Ginny had heard enough, she slapped him hard on both cheeks.

That helped him find what he was trying to say. "You whore," Draco snarled, holding one of his cheeks.

Ginny ignored this comment; she had the upper hand at the moment: Draco was in the wrong. "_I'm _the whore?" Ginny laughed without humor. "No, I don't think so. Who was the one who just…" She couldn't bring herself to say kissed. "_Threw _himself at me?"

Ginny just turned and started to walk away, already berating herself for coming to the beach. "I'm tired of your games, Malfoy," she said over her shoulder. "So stop fucking with my head."

Draco was looking after her; slightly bend over as if he'd been punched in the gut. "Well, this never would have happened if you weren't such a slut!" he called after her. "You probably enjoyed it you're so desperate!"

Ginny laughed again before disapparating. _Enjoyed it! As if!_

But she couldn't explain why her lips were still tingling.

* * *

Draco watched her leave, his mind reeling. How could he have just kissed the Weasley girl? He was disgusted with himself, even more so than he was with all the alcohol. He was dirty, contaminated, and yet…

And yet he had liked the feeling of her lips against his, even if for the briefest moment. And she had kissed him back if only a little bit.

_What a slut_, he thought. Yes, that was it. It had to be it. _If she wasn't so fucking desperate and lonely looking…What a bitch. What a whore for leading me on like that!_ Draco knew it had been a long time since he had felt the pleasure of a woman's body and the rum had made him weak.

_But_, a tiny voice slithered into the back of his mind. _Why did you like it so much?_

"I didn't!" He called out loud to the empty air around him. "I didn't like it!"

The ocean waved in reply, lapping softly at the sand.

_Whose head was it anyway?_

_Where the hell had_ that _voice come from?_

_Worst vacation ever_, he thought with some mild humor.

Exhausted, he fell back into the sand and absentmindedly traced his lips until he passed out.

* * *

Back in her hotel room, Ginny was shaking with rage. No man had ever violated her that much before! And they last person she was expecting that kind of vile behavior from was Malfoy, even if it was from the ferret himself.

Merlin, Ginny thought, hands in fists. Why didn't I curse him to death right then and there?

_Because you kissed him back._

Ginny felt like vomiting.

She had forgotten about that part. _Why oh why did I have to do that?_ _And why won't my arms and lips stop tingling?_

She couldn't think anymore. She didn't want to think anymore.

She decided to go for a swim. The cool water would help clear her head and maybe help her forget for a while.

Exiting the building and crunching though the white sand, Ginny lifted her face up to the sun.

She had realized yesterday that being in the tropical sun had only made her freckles explode exponentially on her skin instead of covering them up but she found that she didn't mind. And she certainly didn't care right now.

All she felt like doing was floating in the water, watching the clouds as the sun slowly descended beyond the horizon, chased by a darkening sky that echoed her dark mood.


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay wow this one is really long but it was really difficult for me to write.**

**There is some violence in this chapter in case anyone doesn't want to read about rape...**

**sorry for the spoiler but I don't want anyone to get mad**

**as always i could not make up the stuff JK Rowling does and she would not want to make up mine**

* * *

Ginny, after being humiliated like she was back at Hogwarts, decided to owl Eddie in a moment of confidence back in her room.

**Eddie-**

**I really enjoyed our time out and I was wondering if you knew of any other places that serve dinner that I might enjoy?**

**Let me know,**

**Ginny**

She thought it was cute and clever enough to send out with Daly, who shot his mistress an annoyed look before accepting the letter.

"You can keep your opinions to yourself, thank you very much," Ginny said snippily as she watched her owl take off into the night sky.

Sighing, the girl turned back around and flopped on her bed, face down. Groaning, Ginny remembered the feeling of a certain git's lips against hers and she frowned, wondering why on earth he would have done such a thing.

Then she wondered what he was doing. Shaking her head to clear it of that thought, Ginny rolled over, tangling herself in the sheets and waited for Eddie's answer to return with Daly.

A small part of her mind told her she only wrote that letter to distract herself from Draco and to show him that she could handle a relationship on her own without any of his interference.

_Or to make him jealous...?_

Ginny shook her head again. No. Absolutely not. Anything but that.

Fortunately, Ginny's thoughts were interrupted by Daly, bringing a surprisingly fast response.

The girl beamed as she read that he would meet her in the lobby the next night.

_See? _She told herself. _This was all worth it._

_

* * *

_

Eddie Rikka had been on patrol duty when that annoying, stupid, bird had found him.

_What was its name again?_ Eddie thought. It didn't matter. The owl had wanted to stay as far away from the man as possible without hindering his letter-carrying duties. Eddie was surprised that the animal achieved his goal quite well.

The man's eyebrows shot up as he read Ginny's note, he thought he would have had to make the next move but she surprised him.

Hastily scrawling a reply on the back of her note, Eddie sent the mail off with the owl and he sighed in satisfaction.

_Well this is coming along nicely._ Eddie smirked, and looked around, consciousness drifting back to notice where he was.

_Doesn't _Malfoy _live here…?_ Eddie's smirk widened. He was bored and as he set off in the direction of a certain shack, he knew his night was about to get a little more fun.

Draco was trying not to vomit when he heard a knock at the door. He hoped it was someone coming to kill him before his hangover did.

"What?" he yelled, wrenching open the door. "The fuck." Draco finished when he saw who was standing in the frame.

"Hello, Malfoy." Eddie drawled, looking at his cuticles. "Guess what?" the healer pushed his way into the crumbling structure.

Draco glared at the man invading his space. "You've found the perfect rock to crawl under?"

Eddie winced, mocking. "No, I'm going to sleep with her tomorrow."

There was a silence for a moment as Draco's foggy mind churned to make the connection.

"Gin-the Weasley girl?" Draco corrected himself mid sentence. When had he _ever_ called her Ginny.

_Ginny._ The name rolled over in his mind. He liked the way it rolled. _Focus you idiot,_ Draco snapped back to attention.

"Yes, the one you were so adamant about protecting the other night. Do you feel the same way now?" Eddie was inspecting his fingers again, the picture of innocence.

Draco shrugged, trying to play indifferent so he could figure out what Eddie's true motive was. "I was drunk the other night."

"And what about now?" Eddie looked dubiously at the empty bottles with a raised eyebrow.

"Now I'm just…_peachy._" Draco growled.

"Glad to hear it. Anyway, Ginny owled me requesting that I take her out again. It was sweet, how she begged…"

Draco struggled to remain calm; rising to this man's taunts would only worsen the situation. Besides, Draco was a hardened Death Eater, and as such his control had to be impeccable, right? He turned his back to Eddie. _Right. _But that didn't explain why his hands were shaking.

"So…" Eddie ventured, pushing his luck. "I have your blessing? I can stick that bitch like she's so desperate for-"

"Get out," Draco hissed in a low, dangerous voice.

Eddie's eyes widened a little. This side of his fellow Death Eater had never been revealed to the healer and it gave the man the shivers. Now here was the Malfoy of the legends. And Eddie knew what that man could do to another with out hesitation.

"Fine, suit yourself." Eddie said, trying to sound like he still had the upper hand, but the native man was shaken. But, as he walked quickly away from the house, Eddie realized he wasn't too scared to keep his word to Ginny.

At least not yet.

Draco was still hunched over himself, hands in fists, but he was breathing calmly, in a steady rhythm, thoughts whirring quickly.

He knew Eddie was going to try something on Ginny tomorrow evening and she probably would suspect nothing.

And Ginny didn't suspect Eddie of being a Death Eater himself, so she definitely had no idea what she was dealing with.

_And,_ Draco thought, fury darkening his whirring mind, _I can't say anything about that with this stupid spell on me._

Testing his body for what curse was upon him, Draco came up empty handed. Whatever the Ministry officials had done to him, it was unknown to him, and very powerful.

Frustrated, Draco began to formulate a plan that would prove to Ginny that Eddie was a Death Eater and maybe also save her from his sexual schemes.

* * *

The next evening was filled with stars and the promise of romance for Ginny. Stalling in getting ready for her date, Ginny was persuaded by the beautiful darkening sky to watch the sun set and the stars come out for a few moments.

Lingering on the balcony in just her underwear and bra, Ginny felt daring and sexy. Confident that no one could see her, she had decided to watch the blood orange sun play with the ocean on its path down to sleep.

Biting her lip lightly with a smile, Ginny found herself inclined towards the romantic at the moment and chided herself without much force behind the scolds.

Ginny had convinced herself by this point that she really liked Eddie and that she was looking forward to this dinner and what potentially lay beyond.

She had experienced many one night stands before, and while not upset by them, she was never completely satisfied.

_Although, I'm never satisfied with a relationship either, _she thought with a sigh, and turned to fling another dress over her head. She hardly noticed the way the ocean blue color of the garment complimented her very well as she rushed down the stairs.

Feeling like a foolish school girl, Ginny mentally clamed herself. _Stop it, _she told herself._ He doesn't wasn't a giddy idiot on his hands. _

She smiled as she descended the stairs, spying Eddie and smiling at him. As the handsome man extended his arm to her and she took it, Ginny's smile widened.

_This was going to be a good night. _She decided.

* * *

"And then my mum and brothers were yelling and everyone was upset. Ugh. But it was kind of funny to see their faces." Ginny chuckled with Eddie as she told him her story of becoming a photographer.

"I can imagine how that would still be hard on you though," Eddie crooned, easily playing the part of the concerned third party.

Ginny shrugged it off, used to being tough. "Whatever…" She trailed off, remembering. Then, she said with a smile; "You should have seen Harry's face, though. Jeeze _that _was something I won't forget." Ginny giggled again.

She didn't notice as Eddie stiffened, and leaned in closer.

"Who?" He asked innocently.

"Oh," said Ginny, used to the reaction to her famous friend. "Harry Potter." She smiled, a bit smugly, as Eddie's eyes widened.

"You know Harry Potter?" Eddie breathed, when he really wanted to vomit.

"Yeah…" Ginny said with an indifferent shrug. "We are actually supposed to be getting married. Or at least," she added quickly, noticing Eddie's typical man-who's-been-scorned reaction. "That's what my mom wants. I don't want it at all. I mean, I thought I did, but now…" Ginny toyed with the table cloth, distracted.

Eddie reached over and stilled her hand. "That must be awful."

Ginny looked up in to his eyes, squinting a bit. Why did Eddie have to sound so feminine?

Noticing her doubting look, Eddie hurriedly placed some mirth in his gaze, and they both collapsed into laughter, breaking the seriousness of the conversation.

"I mean," Ginny continued after they had gained control of themselves again. "I thought it was a good idea when I was still in school, but now, here on this island, I have completely forgotten about him."

"Good," said Eddie, huskily.

Ginny noticed that her hand was still in his, and he was gently playing with her fingers, flirting with her body.

She blushed and cleared her throat, but she didn't move her hand away. "Um…so Eddie, how do you…uh…"

Eddie silenced her meaningless question with a kiss; he had stood up and had bent forward over the table, ignoring the looks of the other diners.

"Oh!" Ginny gasped, surrendering to his mouth.

As abruptly as he had initiated the kiss, Eddie disentangled himself from Ginny and sat back down. Ginny noticed, with some satisfaction, that Eddie was flushed as well.

"Listen, Ginny…" She liked how his voice sounded, thick with desire. "You want to get out of here, maybe go back to my place; I can show you around…?"

Ginny nodded, smiling flirtatiously. "Let's go."

Heart beating wildly, Ginny allowed herself to be dragged to Eddie's apartment in the middle of town. They had practically run there, to prevent their first wave of desire from going out and Ginny was nervous at how fast it was going.

Eddie's place was small, but tidy, and had the look of a busy healer to it; none too lived in.

"It doesn't look like you're ever here," Ginny observed as Eddie threw off his coat.

Perhaps sensing her nerves, Eddie invited her to the kitchen for another drink which Ginny gratefully accepted.

Sipping the firewhisky slowly, she had never liked the stuff, she allowed Eddie to lead her to a chair in the sitting area. She placed the glass down on a coffee table.

"I find that I am rarely home, but when I am, this place suits me quite well." He was back in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass a well.

Ginny stood up and ambled around the space, peering at the art on the walls and the photos on the mantle. She located the same photograph on Eddie's mantle as was in the Ministry outpost and she gave a half smile of remembrance before moving onto a native-looking mask that hung on the wall near a hallway leading into darkness.

"I found that mask when I was visiting the mainland when I was sixteen." Ginny jumped at the sound of his voice so close to her ear. "I was exploring one of the jungles when I nearly stepped on it. Think of what a pity that would have been if I had broken it."

She shivered with pleasure when he reached out and dragged a bunch of her hair out of the way of her neck before bending down to kiss the milky whiteness.

"Eddie…" Ginny sighed, dropping her head away from his to allow more neck for him to kiss.

He nibbled on her neck for a few moments more, then, with a hungry growl, Eddie turned Ginny around and found her mouth. Roughly forcing his lips onto hers, Eddie pushed the girl up against the wall.

Ginny gasped, this time not out of pleasure. "Eddie," she said, more sternly. "What was that?"

"Nothing you won't like later," the man replied, the sound muffled as he was at her neck again.

Ginny had to admit, this did feel good, but this wasn't how she imagined Eddie would be like and she found herself not as turned on as she needed to be to allow the next logical step to go through.

Suddenly, Eddie led her down the darkened hallway to his bedroom, and after shoving Ginny on his bed, he proceeded to remove his shirt.

Ginny was thinking now, but she was still pretending to be attracted to the shirtless man now fully on top of her.

_I don't want this, _she decided. _This feels all wrong._

But Ginny was saved at having to make something up when she noticed something on Eddie's forearm.

"Is that the _Dark Mark?_" Ginny asked, glad for an interruption.

Eddie sat up and looked at his arm like he was seeing it for the first time. "Oh, yea. Yes it is. You see, I only pretended to be one so I could get inside information for our side…"

Ginny listened politely to his well-rehearsed story, which he had apparently told very often, and remembered what Draco had tried to tell her.

"Look, Eddie, this has been great and all, and thanks for the meals and the drink, but I really think I should be going." She made to get up but Eddie pushed her on the shoulder, forcing her down.

"You don't believe me," Eddie said softly, his face hidden in shadow. "You're stupid little traitor friend told you didn't he?"

Ginny was cursing herself for leaving her wand in the sitting room. "No, he tried but you just confirmed my suspicions." She struggled to get up again, but this time, Eddie straddled her, pinning her underneath.

"I don't think I'm ready for you to go, just yet, Ginny." Eddie said, raking his hands across her chest, flicking at her nipples painfully.

Ginny squirmed. "Why are you doing this?" She asked, trying to stall for time.

"Because I want to." Eddie paused, thinking. "And because he doesn't want me to. This is all very much just a game to me." He laughed and leaned down to place sloppy kisses all over Ginny's face as she tried to avoid them.

Annoyed, Eddie slapped her, hard. The blow had enough force to get the girl to stop wiggling out of shock.

"That's better," crooned Eddie. He stroked her hair as Ginny lay frozen underneath him. "You like that don't you?" He hit her again. "Yes, I think you do my little firefly." Eddie threw back his head and laughed before smacking Ginny again, always on her face.

"Let's give that pale skin of yours some color shall we?" Eddie whacked the girl again.

This had never happened to Ginny before and she didn't know how to deal with it. Retreating deep into her mind, searching for help, Ginny stayed frozen, accepting the punishment being inflicted on her from above.

"This is boring," complained Eddie, hands now caressing her hips, and moving down to her crotch. "Now _this_ is what I really want."

Forcing her legs apart, Eddie unbuckled his pants at the same time, revealing his swollen manhood. But Ginny wasn't really looking at anything. Her eyes had glazed over while she waited for the part of her brain that knew what to do to take over.

"Come on, girl, don't be shy, you wanted this." Eddie lowered himself between Ginny's legs and thrust quickly into her.

At that motion, Ginny's mind screamed. She echoed the sound in her head out loud and thrashed suddenly, hips bucking wildly with enough force to throw him off.

Unbalanced and surprised, Eddie gripped onto Ginny's arms tightly to stop her from throwing him off completely.

"You bitch," he yelled, spitting into her face. "You fucking little whore, stop it!"

But Ginny was moving as fiercely as she could, limbs flopping everywhere, nails searching for flesh to claw, all the while her screams piercing the island night.

"_Impedimenta!"_ A loud voice yelled from the door that had just burst open. Eddie went flying into the corner, landing powerless in a heap. As he struggled to rise, the figure in the doorway stepped forward again and raised his wand, pointing it at Eddie.

"_Incarcerous!"_ Ginny watched as ropes sprang out of nowhere to bind her attacker. She scrambled out of Eddie's bed and tripped over to Draco Malfoy, who was panting in the doorway.

"Malfoy!" Ginny shrieked, the only thing she could think to say.

"Thanks for noticing, Weasley." But he wasn't looking at her. His gaze was focused entirely on Eddie. "Get out of here," he growled, advancing on the bound man.

Ginny fled to the sitting room where she scooped up her wand and downed the left over drink and ran out of the apartment.

Hesitating on the street below, Ginny looked up at the window, expecting at any moment to see a flash of green light. Instead she waited, looking hopefully up, wanting, needing to see that green flash…but it never came.

Instead, Ginny saw red light and a few moments later, Draco emerged from the apartment looking haggard.

He saw her clinging to the lamppost across the street and he walked over.

"Are you alright?"

Ginny looked up at him with staring eyes.

"I know it's a stupid question, but I have to know." Draco ran a hand through his hair, the only human mannerism Ginny had seen for a while, one that brought her quickly and completely back into the present.

Her knees buckled but when Draco reached out to catch her, she leapt away from his touch.

"Don't." Ginny whispered. "Please."

"I'm sorry," Draco said, awkwardly.

They stood there for a moment, the tall blonde with his shoulders slumped, the red-head holding onto the lamppost for dear life.

"Can I at least walk you back to the hotel?" Draco offered, wanting to be of _some_ use.

Ginny nodded, warily.

They began walking together, staccato like at first, but eventually their moments and footfall fell into pace with the other.

The rhythm calmed Ginny a bit and she concentrated on it, not wanting to think about anything until the morning.

She didn't noticed the side long glances she was receiving from Draco, who was carefully standing at such a distance where he could not touch her but that he could move fast enough to catch her if she fainted.

Their silence was only awkward for Draco, Ginny hardly noticed he was there. As a man, Draco had no idea what he could do for her, or really any woman in her situation and he felt as out of place and useless as he had in Malfoy Manor.

Grateful that they reached the hotel sooner than he had thought it would take, he turned to leave Ginny at the entrance when he thought the better of it.

_Besides, _he thought, following Ginny into the hotel. _What if she fell down the stairs?_

The odd pair loitered once again outside Ginny's door while she fumbled to find her key. When she finally found it in her purse, her hands were shaking too much for her to put it in the lock and turn it successfully.

Draco stepped closer and when Ginny leapt back as he expected her to, he turned to key and opened the door. He waited until she was all the way into the center of her room with a light on before he undid the key and walked forward to place it hurriedly on the coffee table near the door.

Turning to leave he heard the sharp intake of breath of someone trying not to cry.

He looked around to find Ginny collapsed on the bed in a ball, squeezing her temples to stop the tears from flowing.

Surprised and confused he slowly walked over to her, ignoring the door shutting behind him.

"Um…is there anything I can…er…do?" Draco was at a loss.

She whispered something and he had to take a few steps closer to hear.

"Don't leave me."

Draco stiffened. He couldn't do this. _Don't leave me. What kind of a request was that? _Draco had an odd taste in his mouth. He had no idea what to do.

"Alright, I'll just sit over on this chair and you won't even know I'm here."

"Please," Ginny whimpered a bit louder. "Can you just…lay with me on the bed? I just want to feel that someone else is real."

Draco almost got up and walked out then and there but looking at the fetal-positioned form of Ginny on the bed got the best of him.

_Fine, _he consented. _But just this once and only because I'm getting a clean conscious. Plus I could have prevented what she just went though…it's the least I can do._

Draco stiffly walked around to the other side of the bed and cautiously lay his body on one side of the mattress.

Flat as a board on his back, Draco watched Ginny, cat-like, until he was satisfied that she was asleep.

_Time to go._ He made to get up, but Ginny moved in her sleep and moaned, as if sensing he was trying to leave.

He froze as he saw her hand reach out and lightly touch his. "Stay. Please." Ginny mumbled sleepily.

Draco sighed as he watched her sleeping form, feeling tired himself.

His hand was buzzing where her index finger was touching his middle knuckle. It was the tiniest point of contact but Draco's entire body felt warmed by it.

He felt his eyes drooping contentedly as he drifted off to sleep next to Ginny.

_I should really stay awake,_ he thought lazily trying to stay alert. _In case she needs anything._

He smiled faintly as her lips pursed together in a dream and as he let himself finally slip into slumber.


	11. Chapter 11

**YAy! another update!!!**

**by this rate I will _really _have no life!!! :)**

**Also, i know it's kinda short but since the last one was so long...  
**

**I OWN NOTHING DAMN IT**

* * *

Draco woke up first. Something was tickling his nose.

Moving his head to look down at the source of the nuisance, he froze.

Ginny's hair was the source. Hair that was attached to a head whose nose was buried into Draco's chest. Her hands were tucked up under her chin, elbows folded tightly across her chest to better allow her to get closer to Draco's body.

About to shout something in order to wake her up, Draco saw that his arms were cradling her and that a blanket was drawn up over half of their bodies.

Draco then remembered what had happened the previous night and slowly, cautiously began to unravel his arms from around Ginny's body.

He swore under his breath as she began to stir.

Blinking her eyes, Ginny looked up at Draco, confused. A frown was deepening its way across her face and Draco wanted to prevent getting yelled at so he quickly defended himself.

"I'm sorry." He said in a rush. "I didn't-I mean, nothing-I'm sorry I just woke up this way." He watched Ginny warily as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. _She looked good even when she was tired-Don't start that Draco!_ He told himself firmly.

Her frown deepened as her eyes retreated into memory. Draco practically could see her mind remembering what had happened.

"Why are you here?" Ginny finally managed to spit out, rudely.

Suddenly, Draco didn't think she looked so cute anymore.

"I'm here because you asked me to stay. Last night." Draco couldn't believe she didn't remember. Or didn't want to. Either way, he was getting defensive. "You asked me to and you were in no state to stay by yourself-"

Ginny interrupted. "Who the hell are you to decide what state I'm in or not?" she raised her voice a little, edging on the hysterical.

Draco stared at her for a moment, then snapped out of it. "You know what, weasel? I'm sick and tired of your fucking attitude. At school and now, it's all the same to me. Here I go out of my way to help a _Gryffindor _of all people and you get all fucking uppity about it. So just…fuck you. You're so pathetic you can't even admit that I did you a damn favor. All you do is just hurl it back in my face. Great, _you're welcome._ I am so glad I helped you."

Draco stood up and crossed the room shaking with anger. Wrenching open the door he held onto the knob, twisting his body around to yell at her one last time.

"Just because you're pretty, doesn't mean that everyone is going to hurt you. And you can't go around treating people like they owe you one, just because you're so wrapped up in your little problems. A lot of people have it way worse than you, some snotty princess who is only worried about what to wear to the beach tomorrow!"

And with that, Draco slammed the door violently, earning a disgruntled hoot from Daly.

Ginny was left sitting up on the bed, mouth open so wide her jaw protested.

* * *

Draco stalked down the streets, ignoring the looks he earned as a hulking figure in black striding violently away from the hotel, anger hot on his heels.

_What the fuck was I thinking, staying overnight? She just used me for comfort and I fell right into it._

He stopped at the bank, glaring up at the shiny plaque that held his parents names on the donation list.

Draco walked closer to the metal plate and held his hands flat against the rectangle, looking up, then he placed his forehead to the cool surface and closed his eyes.

_I can't imagine anyone of reputable status associating with her or her family. Especially mine, especially me. By being the blood traitor she is she practically deserves people like Rikka, preying on her weakness-_

He wanted to bash his head repeatedly and with a steady rhythm against the wall.

_Why am I so attracted to the blood traitor Weasley girl?_

Sighing he felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders by him finally being honest to himself. He tried saying it out loud.

"I am attracted to the Weasley girl," he muttered into the metal plate. He felt his mood lighten.

"I am attracted," he said louder, straightening up. "To Ginny Weasely." His heart felt very buoyant all of a sudden and he took off down the street with a lot less meanace than he had started out with.

Still, this was a problem. She was a Weasley for Merlin's sake, although she didn't seem as retarded as the rest of her brothers. She was actually quite funny at times, witty, not the kind of rude humor the twins seemed to be so fond of.

_No, _Draco thought. _She's a bit more sophisticated than the rest of them. I bet it hast to do with her liking photography. She's an artist._

Reaching his shack, Draco looked around as if startled by his modest to poor surroundings.

_Why am I trying to convince myself she is worth something?_ He asked himself, walking around the tiny room, cleaning up as best he could._ She is worth nothing, even with all those attributes._

As Draco vanished empty bottles with a flick of his wand, he realized that he wasn't in any position to judge.

_Just look at where I'm living for evidence._ He made a noise that in a less attractive man would be called a snort.

_Still, I am a Malfoy. There are certain…_standards _that we must uphold._

He made his way over to his mattress and looked down on the miserable thing.

_Merlin, I sound like my father._

Lying down on the lumpy box spring, Draco noted that it was a lot more comfortable in Ginny's bed.

He had barely gotten comfortable when his door exploded inward with a bang and a cloud of smoke.

Caught completely by surprise, Draco scrambled up, fumbling for his wand. He cast a hasty Dissillusionment charm over his body before the smoke cleared.

Eddie, Bingham and Rolfton were coughing in the doorway as the dust settled. Eddie was the first one to move into the space, wand outstretched.

Bingham followed and after a quick look around he asked, "Isn't he supposed to be here? Eddie I thought you said you saw him enter."

Draco had no problem guessing who the 'he' was in this situation.

Eddie ground his teeth. "I did. He must still be here with some sort of invisibility spell or something." His eyes roamed wildly about the shack, looking for any sign of movement. Draco held perfectly still.

"Ah well," Bingham stated, losing interest. "Let's just burn the place. It won't make a difference because if we see him again, we'll just kill him, come on, let's go." Bingham retreated with Rolfton following.

Eddie hesitated before he left, eyes lingering on the spot where Draco stood crouched on the mattress. "If you're here, _Malfoy,_" Eddie spat. "You are no longer welcome here." The healer exited and Draco heard him starting the incantation for fire before he apparated to the strip of private beach.

Draco was glad to be alone then. He had plenty to think about.

* * *

Ginny had a lot to think about as well.

After getting over the shock of waking up to Malfoy in her bed, she had tried thinking about Eddie. But as she lay there, alone on her bed, she found that it was too painful to think about, even with Daly there, offering his support.

She didn't feel like doing anything, although she certainly didn't want to stay lying in bed all day.

Stroking Daly, she brought her head close to the owl as he butted up against her nose in comfort.

"Want to go for a walk with me? Down the beach?" Ginny grinned as Daly hooted.

She gestured to the open balcony and said, "I'll meet you down there."

With Daly soaring around her head and the soft sand at her feet, Ginny and her owl traveled far down the beach that originated at the hotel.

The pair wandered slowly down the white sands for many miles before they found a jagged strip of rocks jutting out into the water. Hopping on one large rock at the beginning of the formation, Ginny balanced her weight expertly as she leapt from rock to rock.

She slowed as the rocks started to disappear into the sea, each one becoming a little more slippery with the ocean spray.

Reaching the last rock she could manage to get both feet on, Ginny enjoyed the sight that sprawled out before her.

The sun was at its zenith and its rays bounced off the water, dazzling Ginny's eyes. Palm trees growing close to the water tickled the lapping waves with their drooping leaves and small, magnificently colored fish darted to and fro just beneath the surface of the ocean.

Ginny bent to hug her knees and thought that it was such a shame that she had forgotten her camera.

"In fact," she mumbled out loud to herself. "I have hardly taken any pictures on this trip."

Tears welled up, and her throat caught, threatening to betray the stowed away emotion that she had yet to express.

"And that's the whole reason my family sent me here!" The tiniest thing, not even related to the Eddie situation, set the girl off.

Heaving sobs racked her body as the girl let herself cry it out.

Hugging her knees tighter, Ginny lost track of time, crying on top of the rocks.

Finally, when her legs started to cramp, did Ginny try and get a hold of herself, breathing deeply and standing up on wobbly feet.

Sniffing, she realized she was soaked with ocean spray and she gave a watery chuckle. Turning on her heel, she began hopping from rock to rock again, towards the shore, looking for Daly as she did so.

She found the owl perched in a palm tree, trying to befriend a parrot.

"Come on you," Ginny said, fondly. "It's time to go back."

Daly hooted reluctantly but soared after his mistress when she set off back towards her hotel room.

When they reached the building, Ginny gestured again towards the balcony. "Go on, I'll meet you up there again."

Her stomach rumbled as she climbed the stairs, reminding her of reality.

_Once I change out of these wet clothes, I can go get lunch._ She thought, turning the key to her door.

Ginny opened her door to the loud hoots of her owl and to an intruder sitting in one of the chairs.

"I'm sorry," Draco Malfoy said, fighting off her owl. "I had no where else to go."


	12. Chapter 12

**YES another chapter i got another chapter woo woo *dances***

**anyway...YES there will be smut and YES it will be soon so hang in there my little darlings...**

**i don't know what had gotten into me sorry for that i am usually much more crazy hahahahaha**

**............woah**

**jk rowling owns it all  
**

* * *

All Ginny could do was stare. She was much too emotionally exhausted to do much else.

She almost laughed when Draco cringed, expecting her to yell at him. Almost, she was even too tired to laugh.

"Why?" she sighed, plopping herself down in the chair across from him, calming Daly by taking him into her lap and stroking him.

Draco looked astonished that she wasn't yelling. "Uh…because Eddie and his…_groupies…_ came by my house and tried to kill me. And then I apparated to the beach, you know the one where…the one where…" Draco trailed off, looking miserable.

"The one where you broke my wrists, yes I know," Ginny said without ceremony, her tired eyes unfocused somewhere around his shoulder, but she was still focused on his story. "Then what?" she prompted.

"Uh…then they somehow found out I had gone to that beach and they snuck up behind me and attacked me." Draco's story was finished in a lame fashion.

Ginny took a deep breath. "Uh-uh," she muttered. "Well," she said, suddenly surprising both Draco and Daly. "I'm hungry, I was going to go out to get some lunch, want to come?"

Draco and Daly stared at her. Her owl abruptly flew off to his perch, rather haughtily and Draco looked at her like she was crazy.

"You-you're not going to kick me out?" he asked, cautiously.

"Well, no. I mean you already stayed the night so it kind of would be rude." He noticed her eyes sparkled with a joke, even if the rest of her looked haggard.

Draco smiled slightly. "Right."

"So, do you want some food or not?" She fiddled with a piece of string coming off of one of the arms on the chair.

"Oh, um yeah that would be nice, it's just that I can't leave this room so…" Draco looked around hopelessly.

"That's okay," Ginny said, standing up. "I'll go get something and bring it back. No worries." She stood for a moment in silence, hesitating.

"Um…what do you want?" she asked. "To eat."

"Anything," Draco cleared his throat awkwardly. "Anything is fine, thank you."

Ginny practically fled the room.

* * *

Draco watched the door for sometime after it had been slammed shut, thinking.

_Since when am I nice to the Weasley girl? And since when is she nice to me?_ He glanced over at the owl that had given him such a headache before. _Why the fuck are we about to have dinner together?_

All of a sudden, Draco felt nervous. He had no idea what he was going to talk about. _Merlin! This is going to be so awkward._

He got up and traced the room with a pace. _Maybe I can just take the meal and leave, eat it down the hall or something, so we don't have to be together._ He walked faster. _I don't even have any money to pay her back, maybe I should just leave now…_He crossed the room to the door, hand outstretched to open it and leave when it opened before he could revealing Ginny struggling to balance a tray of food.

Before she tipped over, Draco snatched the tray from her. "Let me get that," he mumbled.

"Thanks," Ginny said, eyes averted.

He set the tray down on the small coffee table between the two chairs and dragged his closer to it. He was starving, he realized, and couldn't wait to eat a full meal, his first real one in days.

Ginny took her seat across from him and lifted the lids on the plates. "I got spag bol for us both, that's all they had on short notice, sorry."

Draco drank in the sight of a full plate and laughed. "Don't apologize, this looks great." To her shocked expression he added, "I haven't eaten a real meal in a while so this is perfect." He took a big forkful and almost choked on it when he saw her blush.

Swallowing hastily and washing the bite down with a gulp of water her thought to himself, _red-heads do it all the time, it's their thing, it has nothing to do with anything, get a grip…_

They ate the first half of their meal in a hungry silence, each filling their empty bellies without tasting much of the dish.

Draco thought it would be awkward, but he was too concentrated on the food to pay much attention to the silence.

"So," Ginny announced, startling Draco, "I saw your family's name on the plaque at the bank."

_Oh Merlin, _Draco thought. _She's trying to make small talk._ "Yeah, they used to own a huge share of the bank on this island."

"Used to?" The inquisitive tilt of her head made Draco smile before he covered up the expression with another bite of spaghetti.

"Yes, they had to sell it a little while back, with the war and all…" He really didn't want to talk about this now, not when he couldn't run away from the conversation.

"You guys aren't making money off of this? I thought for sure…" Ginny trailed off, curious.

Draco was annoyed now. All she had to do was get him dinner and eat in silence but her stupid mouth had to piss him off. "Of course we aren't profiting from the damn war," he snapped. "It has taken a toll on their side just as much as yours."

His tone made Ginny blush again, and his stomach did a flip. _Bad sauce, maybe?_ Draco made an excuse.

The girl looked down and twirled her pasta with her fork. "I didn't mean-I meant-It's not my side either, you know!" She said in a sudden outburst.

Confused out of his annoyed mood, Draco looked at her. "What?"

Eyes still on her plate, Ginny explained. "You said that it's taken a toll on _their _side, implying that you are not on a side, well me too. Don't say _my_ side, because it's not. I'm just as much a third party in this stupid war as you are. I don't want any part of it."

Her tiny speech had tightened Draco's stomach more than her blush had and he was now really considering warning her about food poisoning when she spoke up again.

"I'm sorry," she said, although Draco had no idea what she was apologizing for. "I have no idea what is going on right now in my life, I mean, I'm having dinner," she paused and to Draco's great surprise began to giggle. "With fucking _Draco Malfoy._" Her giggle had a slightly hysterical edge to it, but Draco had only heard his name in his ears and felt a little dizzy.

"Yeah, I guess that's a little weird." He chuckled too, if only to get himself under control before he had to say anything else. _Snap out of it, Draco._

"I mean," Ginny continued, still giggling. "Who would have thought? Us? Together? On a tropical island eating spag bol and talking about how much we both detest this dumb war?" She laughed out loud.

Draco stared at her. When she had said_ us _and _together_ his brain had really fuzzed out and he was struggling to hold onto the conversation. "Yeah," was all he could breathe. "Weird." _What is _wrong _with you?_

Ginny had calmed down a bit and was tugging at her spaghetti, slightly happier than she was before. "Seriously though, what do you think? Having dinner with a Gryffindor, especially one you hate? Doesn't it piss you off?" He head did that cute tip-thing again and Draco gripped the edge of the table as if to hold on for dear life.

"I don't _hate _you," he admitted, not looking at her. "I only hate you because of your association. But you're alright, I guess." He chanced a glance up and saw her roll her eyes.

"Well that's the best answer I'll get from you, I suppose." She grinned at him as she took another bite of her dinner. "But whatever, you can't leave and you _did _help me out…the other night…so it's cool for now. I guess."

Draco noticed that her smile hadn't reached her eyes and he swallowed when he realized that she was trying to make the best of this situation, but she really wasn't enjoying herself.

_Well, she wouldn't, _Draco thought bitterly with a sinking stomach._ You _are _and were and asshole to her. In school and on the hill, and you broke her fucking wrists for Merlin's sake! What did you expect?_ Draco chewed thoughtfully as he watched Ginny start to clear her place, still with a fixed smile.

_Please don't tell me you expected her to be your best friend after what you did for her with Rikka? Oh come on, she's just a stuck up Weasley who can't even say a proper thank you-_

Draco's thoughts were cut off when Ginny put a hand lightly on his arm. In fact, all his thoughts vanished from his mind and he was left staring blankly down at the white, delicate hand that rested on his wrist.

"By the way," Ginny said in a soft voice that tickled the hairs on the top of his head. "Thank you for last night, I know it was out of place for me to yell at you this morning, but I was…not myself. But really, _thank you_, I don't know what I would have done if…if…" She broke off her sentence the same time she broke off contact with his arm, bringing his reeling mind back to reality.

"It's nothing." He said, with a gasp to the edges of his voice. "I'm sure you would have done the same for me."

"No, actually," Ginny said, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Because I'm pretty sure if you were about to get raped by a girl, I would have just laughed."

Draco looked up to see if she meant to be mean with her words, but found instead that twinkle of mischief in her eyes and a smile tucked away in her lips, threatening to break free.

"Oh great, thanks," Draco added to the joke, but without a smile. He didn't want her to see him enjoying himself. They were so _different _after all and she would never allow a friendship to happen. _Plus, it's not always fun and jokes with me._ He thought, remembering the hilltop and her wrists.

She rubbed the bridge of her nose, straightening. "Well as long as you are hiding out here, I don't see why you can't do the dishes too." She pointed briskly at their two plates and the tray. "They aren't lurking outside in the hallway are they? Good, well you can go put our dinner things outside the door."

Draco did what he was told, but he grumbled to himself. _House elf work, _he thought with a sneer. _I _never _had to do this stuff at home._ He paused, opening the door and setting the tray down. _Had._ He didn't have a home now, and he hadn't really, not for a couple of years.

Shutting the door gently, he turned back into the room to see, in the tucked away alcove of the open walled bedroom, Ginny taking off her shirt. He blanched. She had a bathing suit on, and her back was to him, but still.

Draco stared at the girl as she hummed tunelessly grabbing a gauzy beach cover shirt to replace the damp one she had just taken off that was now cast aside on the floor.

But he wasn't looking at that, he was looking at the taught flesh of her midsection gleaming a beautiful pale peach in the late afternoon light.

Draco swallowed as his eyes traveled down the curve of her side to where it tucked itself away in the folds of her billowy linen pants.

Her hips were slim, giving her less curves than she probably would have liked, but she made up for her boyish appearance with, Draco saw as she bent down to remove her pants, very toned legs ending in a taught-

"Bloody hell!" Ginny shrieked interrupting Draco's staring. "What are you doing?!" He watched with some amusement as the girl raced to cover her body, tripping and banging into furniture in the process. "Merlin, I didn't even hear you come back in! What are you doing being so bloody sneaky and quiet?"

Ginny had finally managed to jam her legs into a pair of dry shorts and she walked to Draco glowering and arms crossed.

"Sorry," Draco said quickly, he knew that look. "Don't yell at me. I have a headache." For he did, seeing Ginny that way made him…well he best try and put _that _thought furthest from his mind.

Ginny stopped advancing and looked ashamed. "I wasn't going to yell at you, you just caught me by surprise, that's all." She looked around, unsure of what to do with herself.

Draco recovered first, to his surprise. "Tell me something, Weasley," He said, the familiar drawl back in his voice as he flopped back down onto the chair he had occupied for their lunch. "Why is it that girls are always ashamed of showing their bodies in a bathing suit everywhere but on the beach?"

Her blush darkened, much to Draco's pleasure. "I-I-I'm sure I don't know. I g-guess it has something to d-do with the context, I guess." Ginny knew she had said guess twice, and she wrung her hands, bracing herself for the torment that was sure to come next.

"Well that's stupid," Draco's head flopped onto the back rest and he stared up at the ceiling. "But I'm not looking now, so you can get changed." _Please get changed again._ He silently willed the girl, but it didn't work.

"No, I'm done, I just wanted to get out of my wet clothes before I went back down to the beach again. Do you want to come?"

Draco only heard the words _wet, down and_ _come._

"Malfoy?" Ginny asked the man in the chair whose head was still tilted up towards the ceiling. "Can you even leave this room?"

"What? Oh yeah, I don't think it would be a good idea if I left right now, they may be watching you and all, you know?" He was rambling, but he was still looking at the ceiling. Merlin forbid she saw _him _blush.

"Okay, well, I guess, lock the door behind me; I'll be back up in time to get us some dinner." She crossed the room and rested her hand on the door handle. "And _don't _bother Daly."

Ginny shut the door quickly behind her and smiled. She liked the way he looked when he blushed.

* * *

**i really want draco to say just once, about him liking ginny... "better you than that mudblood ganger that i seemed to be paired with a lot on the internet."**

**but that of course would be dumb  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**More for you all!!!**

**I will update soon i promise, you'll see why...**

**jk rowling owns it all  
**

* * *

Draco got up and locked the door behind the girl, walking with some difficulty.

Glaring at the owl who was looking at him like he was an idiot, Draco snapped; "Oh like you haven't wanted a girl…owl before."

He sat down, pulling the extra fabric of his jeans at the knees so they pulled taught against his crotch, keeping the bulge down. When that didn't stop the throbbing in his belly, Draco groaned.

"Merlin's beard, I need a cold shower." Draco fairly ran towards the bathroom and turned the water hurriedly on to the coldest setting.

Quickly stripping off his clothes, he yelped as he leapt into the stream and then sighed as he felt the pounding throb in his groin abate.

Masturbation was not an option. Not for a Malfoy male and _especially_ not for a well-trained Death Eater.

_Although, _Draco thought glumly. _I'm not so well-trained anymore. Almost giving in to temptation with a blood traitor _and _helping her against a fellow Death Eater. Not to mention deserting the war and my family…_

Those thoughts finished the job as he shrunk well beyond what he had hoped for and climbed out of the shower.

Toweling off, Draco kept the fluffy white cloth wrapped around his waist as he ambled across the room, enjoying the feeling of the tropical breeze against his skin, and pretending like this was _his _room and _he _was a guest here, not Ginny.

He walked to the balcony and leaned lazily on the railing and looked out over the beach and ocean. He sighed and allowed himself the incredibly non-masculine thought of _this really is a beautiful place._

Eyes lowering off the ocean and onto the beach, he spied a certain scantily clad red-head lathering herself with lotion.

Grimacing, Draco returned to the bathroom to have another shower.

* * *

Sitting on the beach tanning, Ginny had a slight smile playing on her face, the same one she had since she shut the door on a blushing Draco Malfoy.

She startled herself out of her thoughts. Draco Malfoy. _I don't think I've ever said his name before. His full name._

_Draco_, she thought again, and her nerves fizzed with the pleasure of something daring, something forbidden.

Ginny pursed her lips in a rough smile as she found her mind wandering towards the thoughts of sleeping with him and what that would be like-

She sat up. "No!" her shout startled a seagull creeping nearby into flight. Still, the sight of him flushed…and that look in his eyes when he saw her in a bathing suit…

Ginny shook her head. _This is ridiculous. It's _Malfoy _for Merlin's sake; I'm not _supposed _to be thinking about him in that way, we are total opposites, not to mention he's evil and hates me and my family and friends._

_But, _Ginny thought further. _He said he _didn't _hate me, okay well he may still hate my friends and family, but not me. He said that much today. And he's not _evil _per say…we both agreed that this war is a lost cause and that we are not on either side…_

Ginny sat up straighter. "Ginevra Weasley," she told herself sternly. "If I didn't' know better I think I just tried to make excuses to sleep with Draco Malfoy."

She laughed to herself as she settled back into the chaise chair, although her laugh was uneasy and broken.

"Yeah," she said, still tasting the ring of his name in her mouth. "_That _would be the stupidest thing I'll _never _do."

* * *

Draco had not liked spending the rest of the afternoon alone, especially since he had gotten a taste of civilized company again.

After his second shower, he had gotten dressed and had managed to scrounge around the room for something to do. After flipping through a couple of old _Witch Weekly's_ and finding nothing of interest, he snooped around Ginny's bed and discovered a thick black leather portfolio.

Pale eyebrows shooting up when he opened the bedside drawer, Draco was surprised that Ginny had left her camera in her room. _Had she given up taking pictures? _He wondered.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Draco reached in and pulled out the camera and the black film back full of rolls of film and dumped them on the bed. That's when he saw the portfolio.

It had been hidden under the camera and the bag and he hadn't seen it before, but picking it up now he held the leather binder gingerly between his hands and, sitting slowly down on the bed, opened it.

Five years worth of Ginny's photography efforts were stored in the black case, mostly still ones, with some magical moving ones sprinkled throughout.

Draco flipped slowly through the pages, savoring each picture more than the last.

_She's actually kind of good, _Draco conceded to himself, flipping past a picture of beautiful sunset.

_I mean, some of the subjects are really clichéd, but still, not bad._

He smiled in spite of himself and he knew he was being judgmental. Absorbed in looking at the pictures, Draco slowed his flipping way down as he neared the end, noticing how the photos got better, he liked watching the progression. _It's like I'm watching her get better over time._

Stopping to mediate on one of a tilted windowsill, Draco studied the leaves in the background so intensely; he almost didn't hear the knock on the door.

Jumping off the bed, Draco quickly went to open the door to a sweaty Ginny, hot from the sun she had been bathing in for the past couple of hours.

"Hi," she said, a bit breathlessly. "Still alive? I came back early because, well I don't know why. It's hot out isn't it?" She walked to her bedroom to put her things down.

"It _is _a tropical island, Weasley." Then Draco remembered that he hadn't put the photography stuff away and moved to do so but he was in the wrong position, on the complete opposite side of the room. He watched helplessly as Ginny realized what he had been up to while she was gone.

"Did you look at my photos?" She asked her voice dangerously soft. Her back was to him, but he could see her shaking.

"I did," he said, moving towards her. "They are really good, I guess, I mean some of them-"

Ginny turned around. Draco could see the concealed rage in her eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, startled by the look on her face.

"Mm-hmm." Was all Ginny said. She turned back around and slowly, carefully, replaced the things back into the drawer on the bedside table. "Please," she said, still using that soft voice. "Don't look at my things again. Ever!" The last word rang out, harmonizing sharply with the slam of the drawer.

Draco shrugged and rubbed his temple. He had a headache again. "Alright, whatever, sorry." He didn't want to deal with an angry Ginny. Angry girls in general were never fun. "It's not like they were that good anyway."

There was an odd look on Ginny's face before it twisted into a smirk. "Thought so," she said out loud to herself. Draco had no idea what that meant.

Silence descended upon the hotel room for a moment, painful silence not at all the kind the two shared over lunch earlier that day. As if thinking about it was its cue, Draco's stomach rumbled audibly.

Ginny's twisted smile spread viciously across her face. "I'll go get us some dinner then, shall I?" and she left the room with shaky steps, not once looking at Draco.

* * *

Walking down to the hotel kitchen to order dinner, Ginny was fuming.

_How dare he? How _dare _he?_ _What on earth was I thinking letting him stay in my room in the first place?_

Ginny descended the back staircase at a furious rate, almost running to try and shake off her anger, but it held fast.

_I am suck a bloody _sucker _for people that need my help, I can never stick up for myself._

"Salads. And chicken. Please." Ginny spat out viciously at the shocked waiter.

Ginny waited for their dinner in grumpy silence.

_Of all people, I never expected him to ruin my vacation. Okay well I knew that he would ruin it if he was here, but I just didn't _expect _him to be here? I mean, who would?_

Accepting the meal and paying, Ginny stomped back up the stairs, muttering to herself, ignoring to looks of passersby.

"Attractive or no, he is still a slimy git." She rounded the third flight of stairs and walked down her hallway. "And I can't _believe _I was even _thinking _about sleeping with him earlier. Who the hell do I think I-"

But Ginny never finished her sentence for at that moment, Draco opened the door and by the looks of his face, he had heard her.

"Let me help you with that," he muttered for the second time that day. Both stood in the doorway for a good few moments, both blushing furiously.

"Thanks," Ginny finally said, handing over the tray.

"Well this is awkward," Draco said, amused, trying to gain the upper hand.

"What's awkward?" Ginny snapped, stepping into the room and closing the door. "That you are in my room unwanted? Yeah I would say that's awkward."

"No," said Draco, with mischief in his eyes. "Something else, don't worry about it." He helped himself to his dinner.

The meal progressed in a stony silence from Ginny and a smug one from Draco. When they were finished, Draco again cleared their plates and when he returned, he found Ginny over by Daly, finishing up a letter.

"Who are you writing to?" He asked, crossing over to the balcony.

"None of your damn business," growled Ginny.

Draco held his hands up. "Fine, just trying to make conversation."

"I don't _want_ your conversation, _Malfoy,_" Ginny said. "In fact, I don't want you here at _all_. Why don't you just leave?"

"Can't, remember?" He turned his back to her, enjoying the start of the sunset.

"I remember," Ginny's teeth ground together. "But can't you leave the island? Apparate back to England? Nothing's keeping you here."

"On the contrary," Draco said quietly to himself, making sure Ginny didn't hear. "I like it here," he said, louder. "And I'm not going to leave just because some people want me dead. That's been happening to me most of my life. I find that I am not welcome in most places I want to go, so why would this place be any different?"

Ginny rolled up her letter and tied it onto Daly with a snap. Her owl hooted in annoyance but flew off anyway. "Nice sob story, but I don't care. I want you out of my life, forever! I just sent a message to my family and Harry-"

"Oh Merlin!" Said Draco, mockingly. "Not the Boy-Who-Should-Have-Croaked? What ever will I do? Weasel, I will be glad when your boyfriend comes to save you, I'm itching for another good fight."

Ginny was exasperated. "He is _not _my boyfriend! Goodness, do I have to make a sign and wear it around my neck? So many people keep asking me!"

Draco nodded thoughtfully. "A sign might be nice. Then you could add on in tiny letters below it that you'll still fuck anyone who pretends to be like him though."

Ginny stormed over and pushed Draco in the back, catching him by surprise and causing his solar plexus to hit the rail and knock the wind out of him.

"You're an asshole!" Ginny proclaimed, ignoring his cries of pain.

"And you're a bitch," Draco managed to squeak out, massaging his chest.

Something snapping inside of Ginny, she ran to get her wand. "If you're itching for another good fight, you got one right here." Her wand arm trembled, but it was in rage.

Draco looked at the wand thrust in his face for a moment, considering his options. Finally he sighed. "I'm not going to fight you, weasel."

"Why!" Ginny demanded with a cry. "Because I'm a girl?"

"No, because you're so stupid, that I would probably accidentally kill you." It was because she was a girl, but not just any girl. _I can't fight _Ginny. Draco thought. _That would be the stupidest thing to do._ Although he didn't know why it would be stupid, his brain told him so, and for some reason, he listened.

"Fine!" Ginny yelled out. "Fine! Kill me then! At least I won't have to deal with your fucking _games_ anymore!"

Draco just sat down, his back to the railing of the balcony, and sighed. "I'm not going to kill you, Ginny." _Oops. _He hadn't meant for her name to slip out.

"_Don't _call me that. Only my friends do."

"And we were getting along _so _well before," Draco drawled, hastily covering up his mistake.

"I hate you," Ginny said venomously. But she lowered her wand a bit. "And I hate what you do to me," she whispered, meaning to keep it to herself but Draco heard anyway.

"What?" he asked astonished.

"Nothing," Ginny blushed and turned away from the man on her balcony.

Draco stood up and strode quickly over to Ginny, grabbed her arms and spun her around to face him. "What did _that _mean?" His heart was beating abnormally fast but he ignored it.

"Nothing," Ginny mumbled again, but her blush betrayed her.

"Are-are you _attracted _to me?" Draco put on a disgusted sneer, just incase he was wrong.

"No!" Ginny scoffed, a beat too late.

Blood rushed to Draco's head, making him dizzy for a moment. "Why on _earth _are you attracted to me?" He had to know, he just _had _to.

"I-I'm not," Ginny insisted, but her excuses were weakening.

"I think you are," Draco managed a mangled sigh, causing Ginny to glance up.

What she saw buried deep within his eyes caused her heart to jump wildly, but when she looked again, it was gone. She tried to calm her heart, her sense told her that this was ridiculous. Not only was she definitely _not _attracted to Draco, she _shouldn't _be.

Ginny shook her head a little, to clear the fuzz. "I'm not," she whispered. Her mind flickered back to their sudden kiss on the beach a couple of days ago and she bit her lip.

Draco's mind was beginning to calm the rest of his body when he saw her bite her lip. Letting go of his control, he drew Ginny closer to his chest and covered her mouth with his.


	14. Chapter 14

**Yay!!! More for y'all**

**jk rowling owns everything**

* * *

_Well _this _is weird,_ was the last thing Ginny really remembered thinking before she surrendered completely to his kiss.

He searched her mouth tentatively at first, as if he was waiting for her to pull back, but when she didn't, he deepened the kiss.

Ginny felt his hands still clamped down over her arms, preventing her from twining them around his body and she wriggled, wanting them free.

Draco broke off the kiss gasping, thinking that she wanted to stop. He let go of her arms as if he'd been burned. "S-sorry," he stammered.

Ginny pushed her hair back from her eyes, her breathing ragged as well. "N-no, it's okay, you just had my arms…" She trailed off as she stepped closer to Draco, standing on tip-toe to reach his mouth. "I just wanted to do this," she wound her arms up around Draco's shoulders, hands ending deep within the roots of his hair.

She placed her mouth on his and the corners twitched up in a half-smile when she felt him groan inwardly at her touch. _Such control, _she thought, amused.

Suddenly, with a growl, Draco picked her up and deposited her on the bed. Climbing on top of her, he attacked her neck with kisses and Ginny hissed with pleasure, hands reaching for his shirt, tugging it off.

Draco sat up and pulled his shirt off and watched, with a strange look on his face, as she took her shirt off as well.

The two paused for a second, drinking the sight of each other in as they collected their foggy minds just enough to plan on what to do next.

Draco descended upon Ginny again, abandoning her neck for her mouth; while she let her hands trace his muscles on his naked back.

He shivered as her nails trailed up his sides. He never thought that this would be so… He was at a loss for words when she brought her hands to the front of his torso and brushed the tops of his pants with her fingertips.

"Merlin…" Ginny heard Draco moan as she teased him just above his belt line.

She almost smirked but couldn't when Draco covered her mouth with a deep kiss.

_This shouldn't be happening. _Ginny thought, while still allowing him to kiss her. She couldn't kiss him back that passionately, not yet.

_I absolutely _cannot _be making out with Draco Malfoy…this is wrong._

Still, her thoughts were slow and foggy and she gasped when his hand found one of her breasts and cupped it beneath her bathing suit.

_This…is very…wrong…_

Ginny's thoughts were slowing down as Draco rubbed a thumb over her nipple causing her to shiver.

_Very…wrong…_

_

* * *

  
_

Draco had pulled her nipple to a hard pink peak and, satisfied with his work, let his hand lazily trace her stomach down to her shorts. He broke off kissing just to watch her reaction.

The light in her eyes was not completely dominated by pleasure, although it was mostly. There was still something hidden behind her expression of lust that made Draco dizzy.

_Is she…afraid of me?_ Draco wondered. _Probably afraid of what this means. A Malfoy making out with a Weasley…unheard of._

_So what are you doing then? _Asked another voice in Draco's head, the sensible voice. _Stop this blasphemy immediately! You are both not in any position to be making decisions right now so stop it._

But he didn't have to make the first move.

When he took a chance and slipped his hand under her shorts and bikini bottom to feel the soft skin between her legs, Ginny became rigid.

Glancing up at her face Draco was startled to see her looking up at the ceiling with an expression of…_pain? _upon her face.

"Are you alright?" Draco ventured, removing his hand. _This is what you get, Draco. This is what happens when you get intimate with someone who hates you._

He rolled off her body when he saw unshed tears in her eyes and her lips mouthing the same sentence over and over again.

Draco leaned in to catch what she was saying.

"Please, Eddie. No, please."

Draco backed off the bed as quickly as if he'd been burned.

"What the-What are you playing at?" He had no idea what to do with himself. Why was she acting this way all of a sudden?

"Get off me!" Ginny suddenly yelled, flailing her arms wildly, hands balled into fists. One hand, her left hand, struck the side of his temple leaving Draco's vision spotty for a moment.

"Oi! Weasely! Cut it out!" Draco yelled back at her, grabbing hold of her wrists, he stilled the moment of her arms but she still bucked uncontrollably beneath him.

Usually that moment would have driven him mad with desire, but now he found he was worried because of it.

She wouldn't stop moving, she wouldn't calm down. Her tear stroked face caused a strange feeling to wash over Draco.

He needed to calm her down, he wanted to. He wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be alright and that she didn't need to worry.

Half disgusted with himself for these feelings Draco was still growing tired of the flopping girl beneath him. He tried a desperate measure.

"Ginny! Ginny! It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. You need to calm down, I'm not him, I'm not him. Stop it." Draco hid a sneer that was threatening to escape.

_Why are you doing this? _He asked himself.

_She's just scared, it's just a misunderstanding it's not her fault._ He answered himself.

_You don't need to deal with this. Not even for a good shag. This isn't worth it._

Draco watched, silent, as Ginny began to calm down at the sound of her name, tears spilling from her eyes but her mouth clamped shut. Her devastated expression tugged at his heart.

_She _is _worth it. _A tiny, yet strong, voice said from the back of his mind.

"It's okay, Ginny, it's okay." When he was certain that she wasn't going to hit him again, he released her arms and stepped off of her bed. Finding his shirt, he tugged it on. Pulling the fabric down over his eyes, Draco saw that Ginny was now curled up in a ball on the bed, her back to him.

"Ginny?" Draco ventured, walking closer to the bed.

The girl just pulled her knees closer to her chest.

Somewhere a clock struck eight.

Shrugging to himself, Draco made to go sit on one of the chairs when Ginny finally spoke.

"I want," she began, her voice cracking. "I would like to spend the night alone. Can you leave? You can come back in the morning, just right now I want to be alone."

_And now she doesn't want you._ "But-" he started, in a voice equally as small.

"Leave!" Ginny cried out, tears streaking the word.

The door was shut before she finished drawing a ragged breath to start crying again.

* * *

Finding himself prowling the streets again, Draco was also thinking hard. For about an hour he walked, shedding anger, embarrassment and lust on the street behind him.

He thought about how this was Ginny's fault. She shouldn't have lead him on like that, but he found the accusation shallow and meaningless.

This wasn't her doing. Draco paused in front of the Gringotts Bank. Looking up to the metal plaque, he spied his parents name and felt a twinge of sadness. Sighing, he let his eyes wander to the next group of names, the ones that hadn't donated _quite_ as much as the Malfoys had.

**Misters Rikka, Bingham and Rolfton.**

That's when Draco saw red.

_This is their fault._

Shaking with rage, Draco practically ran to the Ministry of Magic outpost and, controlling his emotions, tucked himself into the shadows across the street to wait.

* * *

Ginny looked at her watch. 3 a.m. and she still felt like shit. Trembling she felt conflicted.

She _had _wanted Draco, however abnormal that sounded, but what she felt when he pressed his body on top of hers…and when he put his hand…

It was the Eddie Thing all over again.

Ginny knew she was being very stupid. She knew Draco wasn't Eddie, that he had _saved _her from him, and that he wasn't an accomplice.

But for some reason, she hadn't been able to separate the two men. Not before she had made a right fool of herself. She smiled bitterly.

_But this is for the best, _she told herself, sternly. _It's better if he's not here, then I won't be tempted…and besides, I shouldn't be thinking about a _Malfoy _in that way to begin with._

Those thoughts, meant to soothe, didn't make Ginny feel any better. But her mind was whirring too fast for her to be comfortable with so she shut her eyes and tried the hardest she'd ever had to fall asleep.

* * *

As soon as Ginny opened her eyes, she knew she had slept in late. She felt refreshed as she sat up in the bed, and fixed her hair as she did so.

Stretching, she reluctantly left the warm mattress and walked away from it, looking at the floor, expecting at any moment to she the shape of the sleeping Malfoy on her floor.

"Malfoy, wake up!" She began to build an apology in her mind when she stopped short in the middle of the room.

He wasn't there.

"Malfoy?" Ginny asked the empty air. "Hmm." She thought, going over to the balcony window to open the blinds.

Instead of being greeted by a comforting stream of sunlight, Ginny's gaze was met by an overcast sky and dampness in the air that hinted at rain.

The flat grey of the sky reminded her of a pair of eyes and her stomach tightened. _He should have been back by now. I didn't lock the door…_

Ginny looked around on the beach, in case she _had_ locked the door, but no one was outside.

The weather made her mind turn automatically to think the worst, and she grabbed a sweatshirt that she threw on quickly as she exited the room and pounded down the stairs.

_This is all my fault._ She thought bitterly, leaving the hotel. _If I made him get hurt by those…men, I will…_But Ginny couldn't figure out just what she would do. This new feeling inside of her…she couldn't put her finger on it.

Not wanting to waste time walking, Ginny apperated to the center of town, and found herself in the middle of a commotion.

A flock of children ran past her, jabbering in rapid Spanish. A lone Ministry Official struggled to keep a fast pace and almost knocked into her.

"Lo siento," the man apologized hastily.

Ginny watched him run off and realized that there was a growing crowd at the end of the street.

Breaking into a jog, Ginny quickly caught up with the official and joined the crowd. Pushing her way through to the opening, Ginny gasped.

Three bodies lay in the street. Eddie's, Bingham's and Rolfton's.

Ginny blinked rapidly in shock. There was no blood, she didn't know if the scene would be made any easier if there was; just three bodies, slumped over like they were just sleeping.

She looked at Eddie's body and saw his head had lolled oddly too far to one side: his neck was snapped.

A strange knocking sensation appeared in her stomach. She wasn't sure if vomit was the thing doing the knocking, but she dropped her gaze, not wanting to find out.

"Dios mio!" Someone exclaimed. "I wonder who would do this?"

Having a very strong hunch, Ginny didn't bother looking around for his house. This time, she apparated directly to the hidden strip of beach.

She saw him immediately, a figure curled over in the sand some ways down the beach.

Without thinking twice, Ginny ran.

"Malfoy!" Ginny shrieked into his face when she found him unconscious. "Wake up!" Using her wand, Ginny splashed cold sea water into his face and he sputtered back into reality.

"Ginny?" he croaked in a small voice.

"Are you hurt?" Ignoring the use of her name, Ginny supported him with an arm around his shoulders and heave him into a sitting position.

Draco cried out a moan of pain, answering Ginny's question.

"Shit," Ginny muttered. "Where?" She asked louder to her charge.

Draco gathered up his strength. "Inside, I think…"

"Shit," Ginny said again, and apparated, with Draco, to the island's hospital.

* * *

**REVIEEEWWWW**

**.....please?**


	15. Chapter 15

**I know, I know, it's kinda short, but I just wanted to get an update out to you all. I was away this weekend on the cape where my mom doesn't think the internet should exist so...**

**But there will be more soon!!! Lots more, because taking a weekend off has backed up in my brain.**

**Time to open the floodgates....**

**wooooo**

**jk rowling owns it all  
**

* * *

The first thing Draco saw was a blurry white light before it was obscured with a red thing.

"Ohmygosh," someone gushed, the sound too loud in his ears. "You're alive!" The last statement seemed to hold more relief for the speaker than concern for Draco.

"Whh urgh yuu?" Draco said. In his head it was supposed to sound like: "Who are you?"

"What? Healer, what did he say? What does that mean?"

Draco worked hard to blink. He hated not being in perfect control of his body, except when he was drunk and this didn't feel anything like that. _I could use a drink right now…_ he thought, hopefully.

Blinking again, a loud noise pounding through his head each time his lids crashed together, the think above Draco came into focus.

_Ginny? _Draco thought. _On top of me? _He blinked again. _Nice. I wonder if she's naked…_ he tried to tilt his head down to see the rest of her body but was only rewarded with swimming sensation behind his eyes and a cool hand on his forehead.

"Uh-uh," said a voice he hadn't heard before. "Not yet, I don't think."

Draco tried to growl at the Healer but wound up coughing. Eyes watering, Draco felt his neck being supported and a water glass pressed to his lips.

Swallowing painfully, Draco tried to clear his vision once more. When it failed, he gave up and sank back to sleep.

_At least Ginny's here,_ he thought, dreamily, before letting darkness claim him once more.

* * *

Ginny was on her third cup of coffee and feeling the effects. Jittery legs made her get up and walk the halls restlessly, biting her nails and cuticles down to ugly stubs. The bridge of her nose was raw from her rubbing it in agitation.

She ignored the annoyed looks from the other witches and wizards sharing the hallway with her, she was much to preoccupied to care.

_If he had died…_ She kept thinking over and over to herself. _I just…I just wouldn't have like to live with his blood on my hands._ She would conclude to herself firmly, keeping her hospital stay purely business.

_That's all; I didn't want to have a debt to a dead man._

Healer Joyce clicked out of Draco's room and smiled at the stalking Ginny. "He's awake again, and more alert, if you want to see him."

Ginny paused. It had been okay for her to be in the room with him when he was still woozy, when it was likely that he wouldn't remember seeing her there. But now… Ginny wasn't so sure.

Hesitating with her hand on the door handle, she chewed her bottom lip in thought.

"Oh, go on," Healer Joyce gave her a gentle push and Ginny entered the room.

Draco was sitting, propped up by pillows, struggling to eat pumpkin puree from a cup. Spotting her, he started to smile, then switched it into a sneer at the last second.

"I see you're here," was all he said. His voice was breathy like he was winded after a long run.

"Yea," Ginny said slowly, then descending into silence. "Look, I can go, if you want, you're in good hands now."

"Whatever," Draco's hand with the spoon shook, and fell back down, splattering himself with pumpkin. "Fuck!" He cursed, causing Ginny to have to swallow a giggle. "Would you mind?" He asked, abruptly, looking at his food.

Ginny almost backed out of the room. "What?"

Draco sighed, which sounded more like a wheeze. "Well I can't very well do it my self can I?" Draco glared at the girl.

Ginny cautiously took a few steps towards the man in the bed, seizing the spoon and cup as soon as she got near. "You're paler than usual," she said, filling the spoon, and sinking cautiously onto the bed. "Which is saying something, considering you were on a tropical island for the past couple of days." Ginny shoved the spoon into Draco's mouth before he had time to muster up a reply.

"What do you mean, 'were'?" Draco asked with his mouth full.

Ginny busied herself with another spoonful. "Well, it's not like you were doing to well after the…_attack…_so when I took you to the island hospital, they informed me that healing you was out of their league, so I apparated with you to the only place I knew…St. Mungo's. And then you got better, so you see, it was all for the best…"

She trailed off, spooning pumpkin into Draco's wide open mouth. He spluttered, although he gracefully kept the food where it was supposed to be.

"We're not…I mean…you _apparated _all the way back to England in one go?" Draco sounded amazed, giving rise to heat in Ginny's cheeks.

"You were _hurt_," the girl said, confused by the flop of her heart. "What was I _supposed _to do?"

"No, it's not that," Draco said, swallowing. "It's just, apparating that far…"

"No worries," Ginny said, using an expression she picked up from a hotel worker on the island.

Ginny was suddenly conscious of what she was doing. Spoon feeding her worst enemy. She was aware of the scrape of the spoon in the cup, now thunderously loud, and the distance her arm had to travel to reach his mouth.

She watched, fascinated, as his lips closed against the metal handle, she could feel his tongue cradle the curve of the utensil, forcing the top of his mouth take most of the food. Her eyes followed the pinch of his top lip as it grabbed the rest of the pumpkin to clean off the spoon.

"So," Draco said, after a while. "We're back in England?" He looked around, as if expecting to see some sort of proof.

"Yea, don't you recognize St. Mungo's?" Ginny asked, standing to throw away the finished cup.

"Never been," Draco replied. "Mum always hired a private doctor."

"Oh," Ginny, now standing and without a job hand no idea what to do with herself.

"You can sit if you want," Draco said softly, gesturing to the bed. "It didn't bother me before."

"That's because you were getting food out of the deal before," Ginny quipped, feeling the need to release the tension she felt in the air.

She grinned when he did, and she felt comfortable enough to sit back on the bed.

* * *

Draco stared at his rescuer, sitting next to him on the bed. Her warm brown eyes held something in the back of them, something Draco couldn't quite recognize…

"Home, eh?" Draco said, breaking eye contact. "I don't think you packed for an English summer."

His pumpkin-filled stomach clenched as she laughed. He admired the way she tilted her head back, just enough for her hair to cascade around her shoulders, just long enough for him to look at her throat…

Draco decided he liked the way she laughed at something so insignificant, but like it was the best joke she heard. Ginny's laugh was short, but it was enough to fill him up for the rest of the day.

"Yea," she answered him. "I guess I didn't. But I've got all my clothes at home, so I'll be fine."

Draco was startled. "You're not going to go back?"

He watched as Ginny rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Oh no," she said. "Not after what happened. It's not a very nice place for me anymore. So I had my stuff sent back to my apartment in London. No worries."

Draco thought it was funny that she used that phrase. He had heard it on the island and thought it was stupid sounding.

But, she wasn't going to go back. And by the looks of her hotel room back on the island, Draco assumed that she would be spending at least another couple of days there. He hadn't mean to cut her vacation short…he had mean to save her, that's all.

His heart sped up as he thought how to remedy this situation.

"I didn't mean for you to leave," he blurted out, startling his companion who was looking at the ground. Her brown eyes leapt up to meet his gaze and they shook him to his very core. "I didn't want you to have to leave!" he couldn't find the right words, and he knew he sounded stupid.

Draco took a breath and tried again.

"I did it for you," he said softly. Her eyes widened, but he kept going. "I had to save you…"

He was stopped by Ginny standing up, holding out her hands like she was stopping the advancement of a wall Draco couldn't see.

"No," she said, quickly. "No. I didn't ask to be saved. I-I was fine on my own. And you…" Ginny stopped backpedaling and looked at Draco with harsh eyes. "You _killed_ three people, Malfoy! _Killed!_"

Draco was appalled. He had done all of that _for _her, not so she would be reacting the way she was now. Embarrassed and confused, Draco tried to shrug his feelings off.

"I've killed people before," he said, in a cool voice, looking away from the frightened girl in front of him.

Ginny's arms dropped to her sides, and she stood up straighter. "Oh right," she scoffed. "How could I forget? One Death Eater for another, _awesome_."

Draco was pissed. Ignoring the pain in his abdomen, he sat up, trying to appear strong in a hospital bed. "Well what do you expect, you ungrateful little weasel-bitch? I am a _killer,_ I always have been. Nothing new here."

Ginny was almost at the door. Her head was bent, hair concealing her features from Draco, who was trying to see what she looked like to no avail.

Softly, she said; "I remember a time, Draco, when you weren't a killer."

Draco blanched. The use of his name had put a crack in his façade.

"I remember when you were just a student, a mean bully maybe with his own problems, but an innocent school boy none the less. Try to remember that child yourself next time you go off and do something stupid."

She opened the door.

Desperate to keep her in the room Draco shouted; "I did it for you! You were going _crazy!_ I DID IT FOR YOU!"

His frantic pleads were cut off by the snap of the door swinging back into place.


	16. Chapter 16

**OOOh another chapter in the same day!!! you luck ducks.**

**jk rowling owns it all  
**

* * *

Hermione and Ron were cuddled together when Hermione was woken by a rap on the door.

Untangling herself gently from her boyfriend, Hermione quietly went to the door. Glancing at the clock in the hall, she noted that 1 in the morning was far too early to be expecting a friendly caller.

Fearing the worst, Hermione cautiously held her wand out, mentally preparing a handful of curses before yanking open the door.

"EXPELLI-oh!" Hermione stopped the spell short when she saw a disheveled looking Ginny Weasley.

"Ginny!" Hermione whispered. "What on earth-Hold on. You've got to answer the question."

Ginny looked up at her friend with tired eyes. "What? Oh, go on then."

"What is tattooed on Harry's chest?" Hermione asked, trying to keep the giggle from the memory out of her voice.

There was, of course, nothing tattooed on Harry's chest but, it had been a joke with the trio and Ginny their sixth year at Hogwarts.

"Harry's chest…?" Ginny asked in a bewildered voice, her mind furthest from that subject.

Hermione raised her wand. "Answer the question, Ginevra." She said with clenched teeth.

"A-a dragon. But not really."

"Good, come one in. Ron's sleeping so be quiet." Hermione shut the door behind her freckled friend.

"Right," Ginny said without emotion.

Hermione tried to lighten the mood. "You know better than anyone that he can sleep through an earthquake. So how are you? Aren't you supposed to still be on-Ginny!"

Ginny had collapsed onto a chair in Hermione and Ron's apartment and started crying.

Hermione was concerned. She knew Ginny hated to show her more sensitive side to anyone, let alone cry in front of her. Hermione bent down, her arm around Ginny's shoulders.

"Ginny, are-are you alright? Did something happen? Did someone hurt you?"

But Ginny's body just racked with deep sobs. Her head in her hands, the red-head shook.

"Talk to me, Ginny, you know you can tell me anything." Hermione was concerned. Quickly, Hermione sent a patronus to wake Ron and contact Harry.

"Y-you shouldn't have d-done that. I-I just-"

"Sorry Ginny, it's past embarrassment now, you need support."

Ginny was regretting coming to Hermione for help, but her confusion and fear ran so deep, she didn't care.

"I don't want to talk to Harry!" Ginny snarled, startling Hermione.

"Was this something he did?"

"No!" Ginny cried, confusing her friend even more.

Ron came stumbling into the room with just sweatpants on and wand raised.

"Hermione are you-Ginny! What the bloody hell are you-" He was silenced by a look from his girlfriend.

The entire room was surprised by a loud crack as Harry apparated into the space. "Ginny!" He cried before rushing to her side.

Forcing his hands between hers, he fought with the girl for a moment before she relented to him cupping her chin in his hands.

"What happened?" He lowered his voice. "I just got your letter when Hermione's patronus showed up. Is this about what you told me in the note?"

Ginny felt dizzy. His hands on her face were rough, a proper man's hands.

_This is right, _she thought. _This is supposed to be like this. He cares for me and I care for him…_Ginny nodded in answer.

Harry abruptly stood up, jarring Ginny's head giving her a crick in her neck. The dark-haired man looked at Ron and Hermione.

"Malfoy did this to her."

"_Malfoy?_ Bloody hell. If he laid _one _finger on her I'll-" Ron was cut off.

"I know, we _all _would. You know we have been looking for the bastard since a year ago. Ginny wrote me and told me that he was on the island with her. Clearly something's happened and I'm going down there to find out what. Ron, you're coming."

Without a word, Ginny's older brother went back to the bedroom to change. Hermione was watching Harry, who stood, fuming in the middle of her living room.

"Harry, you can't go. You know we need you here. _Both _of you," she added as Ron came out of the room, dressed and holding a small bag.

"Hermione," Harry began in a cool voice. "We have to. If you only knew…"

"Only knew what, Harry? That we need you here? That a wild goose chase for vengeance isn't something either of you need to be focused on right now? I know a lot, you prick, and if you think I'm going to let you just run off…!"

But Hermione couldn't finish what she was saying. Ron had crossed the room and kissed her passionately on the mouth, then turned, and with a nod from Harry, they were gone.

"God damn it!" Hermione said, wiping her mouth and using a muggle expression that Ginny liked.

Turning to see to the girl, Hermione took on a gentler tone. "Please tell me what's wrong? I really do want to help."

Ginny who had stopped crying looked at her friend with glassy eyes. "C-can't. Would hate me."

"I'm sure I will if you don't tell me," Hermione joked, but Ginny just shook her head.

"Didn't want to cause a scene. Just wanted a place to stay. Can't stay alone right now."

Hermione, worried by her friends affect, nodded. "Fine, of course, you need time. I'm afraid all we have for our guests is the couch…"

"That's good," Ginny croaked, unmoving.

Hermione got a blanket and a pillow from the cupboard and made up the couch as best she could.

"Here it is, Ginny, the best I can offer." Hermione waited, but Ginny kept to the chair, staring at the glass coffee table.

"Well," Hermione said, uncertain of what to do. "I'll just be in the bedroom, if you need anything…"

Hermione backed out of the room slowly, watching for any sign that her friend was going to move.

When she didn't, Hermione sighed and turned off the lights, shutting the door behind her to allow Ginny some privacy.

* * *

Ginny couldn't sleep.

Still sitting in the chair, she was perfectly still but her mind whirred with a hundred thousand thoughts.

_I can't tell her you have to she'll know what to do I can't tell any of them they will be furious you can't possibly handle this on your own what did you think you were doing coming here why did you do it really can you not grow up and deal with life on your own?_

Tears flowed from the stoic girl.

_I don't know what I'm doing I'm so bloody scared all the time I don't know why I am scared I don't know anything this whole thing is messed up I only attract guys who are horrible to me I gave up on all the nice ones and now this is what I'm left with it's like I like the pain I like being screwed up it's the only interesting thing left about me._

Her breathing grew more ragged as she descended deeper into her mind.

_I can't love I never have been able to all I can do is sex I'm a cheap whore I don't deserve nice things to happen to me I'm a slut I can't do anything right I can't take pictures no one likes me I'm a fucking whore I deserved Eddie he didn't deserve to die._

At this Ginny inhaled sharply.

_He didn't deserve to die he was supposed to ruin me he was supposed to make me hate sex I shouldn't be a whore and he knew it that's why he tried to help me by showing me what it does to people he didn't need to die he was just teaching me a lesson no one understands they can't understand they'll be too nice to me and I don't deserve it too nice like Harry-_

His name made her stomach churn.

_I didn't want to see him he knows I'm a slut I won't sleep with him because he won't teach me a lesson why won't he teach me he's not a good teacher he should die that's who HE should have killed, not Eddie Eddie was a good teacher he showed me what it's like to not be a bad girl not be a whore…_

On it went throughout the night, with each thought Ginny pulled herself into a smaller and smaller ball on the chair and in her mind.

* * *

By the time the sun rose and Hermione came to check on the girl, there were dark circles under her eyes and she was clutching herself like she was desperate not to drown in the cushions of the chair.

"Merlin, Ginny, you look like hell. Can't you talk to me about it? Please, I want to help." Hermione was down on her knees, her hands on Ginny's cold ankles. "Please, Ginny."

But Ginny just shook her head. Hermione sighed. "I'm going to call in sick to work," the witch said more to herself than Ginny. Ginny shook her head. "Yeah, I'm going to, and you can't stop me."

Ginny sat on the chair as Hermione sent an owl to her work and when she made breakfast which Ginny didn't touch.

Ginny sat as Hermione worked around her, cleaning the house and pleading to know what's wrong.

Ginny sat as the day turned to late afternoon, the sunset coloring the apartment in solar blood.

Ginny sat.

Hermione made dinner and tried to feed it to her charge, but after it was refused for the 20th time, she gave up,

Hermione swallowed but squared her shoulders. Taking up her original position of kneeling before Ginny she said in a clear voice: "I'm going to take you to St. Mungo's because I don't know what else to do."

At the words St. Mungo's, Ginny flinched and clutched at Hermione's shirt.

"No please not there anywhere but there I can't go there that's where HE is and I just can't go there you can't make me I won't go-"

"Calm down, Ginny," Hermione interrupted the girls ramblings. "You need help, just listen to yourself." But she was trying to reason with someone who was beyond reason's reach.

Ginny was still grabbing hopelessly at Hermione's t-shirt. "Not there please anywhere but there please…"

"Nonsense, you d-don't know what you're talking about." But Hermione was shaken. Ginny's manner had scared the witch so much, that she was taking the last resort.

Ignoring any further protests, Hermione flung her arms around Ginny's shoulders and apparated with the girl to St. Mungo's hospital.

* * *

Screeching filled the halls of St. Mungos' psych ward as their newest patient was introduced to her room.

"NO!!!" Ginny tore at her attendees who were trying their best to restrain the flailing girl.

Hermione watched anxiously from the hall, wringing her hands and seriously doubting what she did was the right thing, before a healer led her out of eye shot.

"W-will she be alright?" A nervous Hermione asked the head psych-healer as he led her down the hall back to the main part of the building.

"Of course, don't worry; we deal with this kind of thing all the time. She is safe in her room and the patients here can't apparate off grounds, so we always know where thay are. Now, if you will just sign here…"

Hermione didn't like Ginny being called a 'kind of thing' but she signed the necessary medical forms and sat down to wait in the chair near the main desk of the ward.

After getting the paper work filed, the psych-healers were cleared to sedate the girl.

Knocking her out with a sleep spell, the healer closest to Ginny nodded at her companions to bring the unconscious girl to the bed.

Locking the door behind them, the group of healers exited the room leaving the newest 'crazy' as they called it, to sleep.

* * *

Ginny woke up around dawn and was hit by a flood of memories.

Frantic and scared by her new surroundings, she tried to calm herself by looking at her situation rationally.

"It's okay, it's okay. You just…overreacted yesterday, that's all." Ginny blushed as she remembered her outrageous behavior the previous day and felt deeply ashamed.

"Alright I should have never treated Hermione like that; she was just trying to help." Ginny tried not to remember what she thought about during her night stay at Hermione's, and to distract herself, she explored her room.

"This isn't so bad," the red-head told herself. "Besides the fact that you're in the psych ward talking to yourself…"

Suddenly, the room didn't look so friendly. Ginny noted how small it was and began to hyperventilate, feeling claustrophobic. The tiny room reminded her of the ministry questioning room on the island and she felt an overwhelming sense of dread.

Pacing the room's outline Ginny chanted to herself, thinking rapidly. "Safe, safe, I'm not safe here, I need to go somewhere that I'm safe."

Pausing at the door to her room, Ginny shut her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could on the word 'safe'.

"I need to go somewhere that I will be safe," she said firmly, and disapperated.

* * *

A loud crack sounded above Draco and he barely had time to bend his knees up, taking his legs out of the way of being broken when Ginny landed on his bed, just inches from where they'd been before.

* * *

**I probably need to stop ending on these sort of moments but they are just so fun!!**

**review!!  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**Well! I won't ruin it for you but here's a hint: FINALLY!!!!**

**yeaaaaa**

**jk rowling owns it all  
**

* * *

"Fucking hell!" Draco yelped out in surprise and pain from moving his body so fast.

He watched, wary, as Ginny looked around, and then finally turning her gaze to him.

"No," she said.

"No what?" Draco felt a strange sensation in his arms, like he wanted to hug her.

"This isn't safe."

Draco was confused and was surprised when she apparated away for a brief moment before appearing right back in the same spot.

"What are you-" Draco was cut off by a series of rapid disapperations and apperations. Around the fourth time, he started to feel sick as he watched Ginny constantly pop in and out of view.

"Stop it!" He roared, ignoring the pain. "You're going to tire yourself out!"

"I don't-" Ginny said before she cracked out of sight.

"Care," she finished, reappearing.

"You'll splinch yourself," Draco chided, annoyed that he sounded like a mother.

"So." _Crack._

"What?" _Crack._

"Fine, do what you want," Draco conceded. He was just happy that she was in his room, even if only for flashes. "Why are you in the hospital anyway?" He wondered.

"What do you-"

"Mean? How did-"

"You know that?"

"Because," Draco sighed, having to look away from the sight that was making him queasy. "You can't apperate off the grounds at St. Mungo's and you're clearly trying to get somewhere you can't so…"

He trailed off with a smirk when Ginny was shocked enough to stop apperating. "I just want to go somewhere safe," she said, mustering up the strength to apparate again.

"Don't!" But it was too late. Draco watched helplessly as Ginny's bottom half apperated back onto his bed before her top half. The apperation charm on the hospital boomeranged the girl back so fast like it had been doing previously, that her body joined again, but Draco knew it must have hurt like hell.

"Ah!" Ginny screamed, collapsing onto Draco, shuddering in pain, and ignoring the fact that she was on top of him.

Draco tried to ignore this fact too, but the weight of her body on his injured one made him groan in protest. But he didn't move.

"Are you…" Draco tried to ask the limp figure of Ginny.

She was still for a few heart beats but then she stirred, slowly. "Alive? Unfortunately." Draco admired her sense of humor even in the worst situations.

"Can you move?" Draco asked, watching her as she tried and failed to lift herself up off him. "Told you." He said simply.

"Shut up," Ginny snapped, her breath hot on the part of his chest peeking through his hospital gown.

They lay there for a moment, Draco's heart thudding in his chest, threatening to break through.

"I can hear your heart," Ginny said, causing it to speed up even more. "Why is it going so fast?"

"I don't know, maybe because you're on top of me and I'm in pain?" He remarked coolly, trying to slow the thumping in his chest. "I'm going to roll you off me, okay?"

"Good," Ginny said, cool as Draco's voice had been.

Bringing his arms up to place them on her shoulders, Draco pushed her off himself with some difficulty. _I'm still so weak, _he thought. Moving her to the side, Draco felt her breasts rub past his torso.

"Fuck," he said, feeling something stir in his lower belly.

"What? I'm not _that _heavy am I?" Ginny sounded worried, but he wouldn't look at her face, worried that he would kiss her.

"Nope, nothing like that," Draco managed to choke out.

"Sorry," Ginny said, helping him move her body the rest of the way the best she could in her weakened state. Swinging her legs slowly off his, Ginny felt his hardness and gasped. "What the hell, Malfoy?"

Draco looked away; chin upturned exposing his whole neck to the girl. "What?" He spat out, almost like a challenge.

"Nothing," Ginny mumbled, too embarrassed to talk about it.

They lay there in silence, Draco on his back, head turned and Ginny on his right turned on her side forcing her to look up at him.

Not knowing what to say, Ginny stared at him. She traced the line of his strong jaw with her eyes until it ended at his neck. She followed the graceful curve of pale skin until it hit his shoulder.

She could see the muscles tensing and relaxing as he adjusted himself in the bed not made for two people. Close enough to see the little hairs growing along the edge of his jaw, Ginny concentrated on them.

She liked the way they moved, very slightly, in time with his breath. She liked the way the light hit them, giving the hairs a tiny shine.

Ginny found herself smiling like an idiot when Draco turned his head to look at her.

"Hey, Weasley, I-what are you looking at?" Her eyes caught his and they gazed at each other, fascinated by their closeness.

"Nothing," she paused. "Weren't you calling me Ginny before?"

"Yeas…" Draco said breathily combining the two words. "Why?"

"No reason," Ginny wanted to touch the tiny hairs. "What were you going to say?" Her words came out slowly, like they were moving through syrup. Her head felt light, like it was in water.

_Please touch me, _Draco pleaded in his head. _Please…_

"I was going to say-" Draco cut off abruptly when Ginny's finger lightly touched upon his jawbone and traced the line to his chin. "I forget." He whispered.

Her finger reached his lips and she left it there, lingering for a moment like a butterfly. Slowly, Draco pursed his lips and kissed it, all the while looking into Ginny's eyes, worried that he would see the pain come back into them.

"Safe," she whispered, moving her body closer to his.

"Hmm?' Draco murmured, still locked into her deep brown eyes.

Ginny moved her finger to the other side of his jaw, tracing the other way to his ear.

"I'm safe here, aren't I?" Ginny seemed to ask no one in particular.

"Yes," Draco cleared his throat, unsuccessfully. "From what?"

"From living," Ginny propped herself up, raising her head above Draco's and looking down at his face with a tilt to her face. Her hair curtained around part of his face and he was embraced by her scent. It was musty, but beautiful.

"Like fire," Draco said out loud. He watched as her face screwed up into a tiny frown that he wanted to kiss away.

"I am?" Ginny asked, confused.

"You are…beautiful," Draco thought his chest was going to explode as he watched her move slowly, cautiously, closer to him.

"Liar," Ginny whispered, her eyes fluttering to a close.

"I'm not lying, I swear," his voice was deep, hoarse. She was moving painfully slow.

"Sure you a-" Ginny was prevented from finishing her sentence by Draco's lips on her mouth.

This kiss exploded in his head, like she had ignited a fuse with her lips. If he had been standing, Draco knew he would have collapsed.

He was conscious of her shaking and he held her; wrapping his arms around her tiny body, he held her, drinking in the moment of connection.

Draco was surprised when he felt her tongue dart out in a cautious question, like a tiny flame. Ginny's question was answered by Draco surrendering his mouth to hers.

There was nothing fast about their movements, nothing rushed or hurried. He could feel her lips tremble and knew his were too. They opened their mouths to each other slowly, carefully, like they each were telling the other 'it's okay', like they were trying not to startle a skittish rabbit.

Draco heard Ginny inhale quietly in short bursts of air, like her lungs were trembling too and he almost lost himself completely. _I can't, _he told himself sternly, thinking of the last time he lost control. _I don't want to see that pain in her eyes ever again._

But he felt her hand that was behind his head twine up into the roots of his hair and tug him closer, closing the gap between their lips and letting their tongues sink deeper into the kiss.

And in that moment, Draco felt his entire body squeeze tighter, as if preparing for the revelation his mind was about to state.

_I am happy._

And he was. For the first time in five years, Draco Malfoy found himself experiencing a moment of pure bliss.

* * *

Ginny could feel a smile at the corners of Draco's mouth and hoped it was her doing, nothing malicious on his part, but pure elation with the fact that he was kissing her.

That's what she hoped dearly because the part of her mind that was Ginny back in Hermione's apartment was screaming at her.

_You slut! You've done it again! Just because someone says your pretty doesn't mean they have to mean it!_

But she had pulled him closer to her, deepening the kiss that felt so good when they were barely touching. And something clicked.

_He called me_ beautiful.

And with that thought, the Other Ginny was silenced. At least for now.

Ginny explored his mouth, tenderly, like it was her first kiss and she had no idea what to do. But she didn't, not really.

To her, this was her first kiss.

_Their _first kiss.

Their first real one anyway. The one that really counted.

And she was enjoying every second of it.

The innocence of their situation had charmed Ginny into trusting him this far, but when she shifted her body and felt his hardness once more, she knew what she wanted.

_Do I really?_

Breaking off the kiss she looked down at him. Draco's eyes opened slowly, reluctantly and she liked it, but she didn't smile, not yet, she couldn't.

_Make sure that is what you really want, Ginny. There will be no going back._

She bit her lip and gazed into his eyes. What she saw made her dizzy.

His usually flat grey eyes were stormy and deep with desire. Dark to the point that they could be confused with blue, they gave off an expression of longing. His eyebrows met in a slight peak, his mouth was open with hope playing around the edges, and his eyes…

_Pure longing. This is for real._

Ginny made a decision.

She swung her leg over his waist and straddled him, keeping all her weight on her knees, afraid that she would hurt him.

When he didn't make a sound of protest, Ginny leaned back toward his chest, letting her hair fall around them like a veil. She saw his chest rise and fall rapidly and as she got closer she heard the quickness of his breath. Tucking one side of her hair behind her left ear, Ginny again placed her lips delicately on Draco's.

She felt him groan inwardly to himself which relaxed her into easing her weight onto his groin. His hands flew up to her sides and she hastily sat up, transferring her weight back to her knees.

"I'm sorry," she said, surprised at how out of breath she was. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," Draco choked out. "No, I just wanted to hold you."

"Oh," Ginny blushed and Draco sighed happily. "What?" She asked again, worried.

"I like it when you blush," he was running his big hands up and down her sides, but slowly, sensuously, making her want to take off her shirt.

"So, this is okay?" Ginny asked grinding her hips and placing her weight back there.

"Merlin, yes," Draco gasped, closing his eyes.

"And this?" Ginny smiled impishly, before removing her shirt.

* * *

_God damn, _Draco thought, using the absurd muggle phrase that he had picked up somewhere.

He watched as Ginny took off her shirt, revealing a plain grey bra and a white stomach. It wasn't the prettiest bra he'd ever seen, or the most expensive, but he would remember it as the best one he'd ever seen for the rest of his life.

_She looks nervous, _Draco noted, mouth still agape. He wanted to calm her, to reassure her, let her know that she was doing everything right and more.

Her hair, which had frizzed a little from the t-shirt, framed her face like she was a sun-god and the light she carried within her body shone through her luminous skin.

Draco wanted to touch it but it was too far away so he settled on placing his hands back on her hips.

_Take it slow with her, Draco. Don't scare her off. _He had to keep telling himself in order to combat his impulse to throw her down and take her on the floor. _Besides, I don't even think I have the strength to do that. _He tested his torso by clenching his abdominal muscles and felt a stabbing pain. _Nope, definitely can't move._

Her skin was so soft; he rubbed his hand s up and down her sides again, letting his thumbs caress her middle, starting at her bellybutton and ending at the middle piece that connected her bra together.

Draco watched, dumbfounded, as Ginny tipped her head back letting her hair tickle her skin, clearly enjoying his touch.

_Why? _Draco asked himself. _There is no logical explanation for-Merlin she's going to take off her bra._

Ginny unhooked her bra and let it fall forward off her chest, pausing for a second before she flung it to the ground.

Suddenly Draco became aware that he had too much clothing on. Hurriedly, he tugged off his hospital gown leaving him only with boxers on underneath the blankets. And those had to go too.

"Can you um…do you mind…?" Draco knew he wouldn't kick off the covers without her consent but he prayed that she would say yes.

Backing up off him, Ginny did more than that.

Draco had to close his eyes as she tugged the covers off his body, teasingly slow. He felt her knees where his were and he knew she was still straddling his legs. He was surprised by her hands on his stomach and brought his head up abruptly to look at her.

She wasn't looking at him; instead her gaze was following her hands that were traveling up his torso. It was like she was fascinated in his body. In all that made up Draco.

He shivered as her fingers traced the contours of his muscles, exploring what he felt like for the first time.

"Ginny, I…" Draco couldn't think of what he was going to say. _If she would just…_

She did. Ginny had taken off her shorts that she was wearing, remnants from her island packing and was down to her underwear.

Draco had to release all the breath in his lungs; something had pressed down on his diaphragm. Something, a feeling he didn't know.

_Merlin I want to touch her._ He stretched out his arms as far as they would let him. The best he could do was sit up a little straighter and wriggle his legs frustratingly.

Ginny sat back, and for a second Draco thought he had done something wrong. But he looked into her eyes and found them dark, almost black, with need.

Ginny hooked her thumbs into the sides of her panties and pulled them off quickly, revealing her womanhood that Draco could see and smell was ripe with desire.

_Now, _he thought fiercely. _Please do it now._

But Ginny had other plans. Draco almost yelped with surprised pleasure when Ginny rubbed her abdomen with her own hands. Spreading her legs just wide enough to still look innocent, she gently started touching herself.

Her fingers played with the soft skin and then she spread herself wide, showing him that she wasn't afraid of what he thought.

Touching her clit lightly with her middle finger, Ginny let out a tiny gasp that almost made Draco come right then and there.

_Merlin…_was all he could think.

"You know I can't move, right?" Draco growled.

Ginny just smiled shyly, driving Draco even more insane. "Thus the basis of its appeal." And she plunged two fingers into herself.

* * *

Ginny had never done this before. She had never pleasured herself in front of a man in her entire life. But she did so now and with the perfect mix of sensuality and private innocence that she knew she was driving him up the wall.

_It's because he can't really move, _Ginny explained to herself, through her fogging brain. _I don't want him to try and do something that would injure himself. Besides,_ she moaned softly, biting her lip. _It _does _feel good._

Through her hazy mind came the sounds of Draco's voice. Pulling herself back to attention Ginny heard him almost at a whimper.

"Ginny, I can't stand it anymore. Stop it. Ginny I need you…"

Breathing heavily she looked into his eyes for confirmation that this wasn't a hoax one final time before nodding slightly.

"But," Draco protested as she began to crawl toward him. "I can't…move…"

"I know," Ginny was surprised at how husky her voice sounded.

"You don't...mind?" Draco asked, so hopefully that Ginny had to smile.

"No, I swear." And she truly didn't.

Reaching up she gently tugged his boxers down and off his legs, trying to gape at what was exposed.

She had seen longer but none this thick as what was before her. Trying not to let her astonishment show, she lowered her mouth onto him, lubricating for extra measure, although Ginny knew that she was so wet that it wouldn't matter.

Putting him deep within her mouth, she relished the feeling of power she had over him when she did this.

_Any male, for that matter._

But there was only one right now and at the moment, Ginny thought there was only one in the entire world.

Lifting her mouth slowly off, she flicked her tongue on the head of his shaft and tasted a few salty drops that had seeped out past the walls of his control.

"Draco," was all she said as she moved her body up to straddle his groin.

"Ginny," was all he answered, all he could answer, as she lowered herself down onto him.

Stunned, the pair looked at each other for a moment, unmoving in their ecstasy and enjoyment of the entrance.

Brown eyes met grey, both minds behind them completely concentrating on the fire erupting it their bellies.

It had never felt this…_complete_ before. Ginny knew with that one quick movement, that Draco was and would be the only one that fit her perfectly.

"Oh, god," Ginny gasped, breaking the silence.

She clenched her walls around him wanting to feel him from every angle inside her. She wanted him to understand what she was feeling; that the fit was nothing short of perfect.

Ginny began to grind her hips and she leaned forward, placing her hands on either side of Draco's body above his shoulders. She raised herself up off him, almost letting his slick erection slide out, but at the last moment, sheathing herself back down onto him.

She wanted to kept that moment of the first entry going as long as she could make it last. She wanted him to know just how good he was making her feel.

Ginny ground her hips, picking up momentum.

"Draco," Ginny panted. "I-uh-I n-need you…"

She bent her head down to kiss his neck and trail upwards until she could nibble on his ear. She heard him sigh in abandon.

"Ginny…" Draco grunted back. "Merlin, Ginny…" She felt his hands grab her hips, making her go faster.

"Do you," Ginny purred into his ear. "Have any idea how good this feels?"

"Uh-huh," was all Draco could reply. "Ginny…"

She abruptly kissed him on the mouth, wanting to taste her name on his lips, wanting to feel what she sounded like to him.

Breaking off the kiss, Ginny sat up, fingertips supporting her movements on his shoulders. "It feels fucking amazing."

* * *

Draco's entire body could feel her as she rode him, and he was pretty sure he wasn't going to last much longer.

_You have got to be kidding. _Draco tried to distract himself with thought. _Of all places and times, Draco. You _cannot _come now._

He knew that if he went now, she would never enjoy herself. He wouldn't have been able to give her what she wanted, what she needed.

_Merlin, I wish I wasn't injured._

He felt her walls clenching around him but he wanted to feel her spasm.

"Ginny, I want to come with you," Draco barely managed to say, eyes drinking in the sight of a sun-goddess atop him.

"I want you t-to come with m-me," Ginny echoed. Draco took that as permission.

Reaching down with his thumb, Draco found her clit and rubbed it to rush her.

Ginny slowed for a moment out of shock from his movements but she tried to keep going.

"Oh, Draco," her voice rang deep into his ears, reverberating in his groin.

Mind numb, Draco knew it was ending.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck!_

He had wanted it to last all night, but he couldn't help it. He had been bewitched by an immortal.

"Ginny, I'm going t-to…"

"M-me too," she sighed, comforting Draco. "I-I-I'm coming."

Draco usually squeezed his eyes shut, he had with other girls, but for some reason, this time, he left them open and marveled at the sight before him.

Ginny shuddered sitting upright and eyes closed: a hand at her cheek, a few fingers in her open mouth, and the other hand deep in her hair.

"Oh!" was all she said as her walls echoed her bodies shudder.

"Oh!" was all Draco needed to hear as he gathered up all his strength and bucked his hips up releasing himself deep within Ginny.

Draco didn't mind when she collapsed onto him. He hated when other women did this to him in the past, but this was different.

"Fuck," he muttered out loud, breathing deeply.

Ginny stirred, probably thinking he swore at her, but he didn't want her to get off him. Not yet. He was enjoying the feeling of just being inside her still, even after he had filled her.

"Don't," he told her. "Not yet." He stroked her hair, something he never did, but he had wanted to touch it so bad before, and now he knew what the fire felt like.

* * *

**first sex scene EVER**

**please review and tell me how horribly i did!!!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Okay so this chapter is kinda short but it felt like it's own chapter so yea...**

**NEW MOVIE COMING OUT T-MINUS 6 DAYS!!!!! (Thank you to MOROSEC for reminding me, lol)**

**p.s. i'm updating tomorrow don't you worry  
**

**jk rowling owns everything  
**

* * *

Ginny was sweating slightly and knew she must look like shit, but she didn't care. Pulling the pieces of her self back together after her climax took some effort.

She was aware that Draco was still inside her and she liked the feeling, but her arm was falling asleep and she pushed her body off of him, explaining.

"My arm's falling asleep," she said, apologetically.

"Mm," Draco replied, apparently saving up his entire vocabulary for later use.

Standing at the side of his bed, Ginny slowly put her clothes back on. With each article of clothing, Ginny's mind grew more and more aware of what she had just done.

_I just _fucked _Draco Malfoy. Holy shit._

Tugging her clothes back on, Ginny did so slowly, with shaking hands. Pulling on her shirt, she saw that Draco had turned his head and was staring at her.

"What's wrong?" He asked, in a satisfied voice. Ginny tried not to cringe.

_I'm a whore. A cheap whore._

"N-nothing's wrong," she stuttered, trying not to reveal _all _of her true feelings. "It's j-just that…I-I didn't really think you were the kind of person that liked to _cuddle_…" She tried to make the word 'cuddle' sound like a disease.

Ginny saw something deep within his eyes shift. She was starting to recognize his moment as Draco's switch into his 'guard' position.

"Well, no…you're right, I guess," she could see that he had no idea what to say, that he was floundering with words, Draco _Malfoy_ at a loss for words, lying naked there on the bed, looking helpless and totally dependant on her every action.

She stood there, observing the situation she was in.

_Oh fucking Merlin, what the hell do I do now?_ _I slept with him, I can't believe it, my own enemy, I had _sex _with him!_

Ginny started to back away, stressing out to the point that the words began to leave her head and trickle out her mouth.

"Every time I sleep with a man, it goes wrong, I can't believe this just happened, I'm such a fucking _slut_-I'm sorry!" She shouted suddenly, making an already concerned looking Draco jump. "I-I have to go…"

Ginny disapperated back to her original room, leaving Draco, still unmoved, upon his hospital bed and tangled sheets.

* * *

_What the hell was that all about?_ Draco asked himself, rubbing his forehead.

He had just had one of the best nights-no wait. _The _best night of his life, and the girl had _left_.

Draco was bloody fascinated.

Weird behavior aside, if Ginny had wanted to push Draco away, her manner should have been the exact opposite.

Now he was hooked.

_Merlin, I thought it was just a _crush _before, but now…_

Now he didn't know what to do.

Was_ it just a crush before?_

Or had he merely appreciated her body and how he liked fulfilling the role of being her rescuer, of being her guardian angel.

_No, _he told himself. _It wasn't a crush, remember Draco? You were just so Merlin-damned _obsessed _with her, and all that she meant to you. She _was _you. A you from many years ago, but still _you…_how could you forget that?_

Draco couldn't forget. He never could. But he wanted to, so very badly, so he filled his life with drinks and women and…_tropical islands with Death Eaters and a damsel in distress._

_Yea, nice escape, Draco._

Okay so he hadn't had a plan when he apparated away from his father's house a week ago, but…when he had seen Ginny on the beach…

_Good Merlin, I thought I was going to die. One of the golden arse-holes from Gryffindor on _that _side and the Scarhead's girlfriend to boot…_

The corners of Draco's mouth twitched.

_Well, I guess she really isn't his girlfriend._ _Either that or she just cheated on him. _Quite _successfully I may add…_

But his smile died before it began. Why did she do it? Draco was perplexed. He thought back to what he was thinking right before she took her bra off and distracted him with those round, perfect-

_There is not a logical _explanation_ for her behavior, _Draco said, cutting himself off before he could get lost in the memory. _Why on earth did she sleep with me? I mean, I know she doesn't even like me, so what was I to her?_

Draco blanched as he figured it out.

_That's why she left so quickly. She used me. Good Merlin, I was just used. And I fell right for it._

_But she is me, _he thought, desperately trying not to drown in his growing despair. _She is supposed to be like that, I mean, _I_ was after being hurt, after being raised like a fucking hellion._

Draco tuned his head away from the afternoon light seeping through the window as if it would burn his eyes if he looked at its beauty.

_I remember when I was like that. Desperate, lonely, fuck I _still _am. After what my father did to me…_

Draco sighed, squeezing his eyes shut tight against the memory.

_I can't blame her. _He concluded firmly. _I _won't _blame her. She has to come back to me. That's what everyone does, _he was haughtily thinking of his old Hogwarts classmates. _That's what everyone did with me._

Draco turned his head to the light and his eyes watered. But the tears had already started before he had moved his head. Wiping them away furiously, Draco settled back to wait, still naked on his bed.

He shivered.

_She'll come back._

_

* * *

  
_

"This always happens." Ginny was talking to herself, pacing her tiny psych ward room. "This _always _happens!"

Throwing up her arms, Ginny sighed in exasperation with herself. "I can't believe it. I can't _fucking _believe that you would fall back into your old patterns again for _Malfoy _for Merlin's sake…"

The voice inside her head smirked. _Duh, _it said, silky smooth as a spider's web. _You only attract guys who are horrible to you._

"That's not true," Ginny said, mortified that she was really talking to herself.

_You like being screwed up, it's the only interesting thing left about you._

"Be quiet," Ginny said softly. But she knew she was right. She told herself that she couldn't love anyone so frequently and for such a long time, that it was impossible to break the mind set.

"All I'm good for is sex, that's all." Ginny sat down on her bed and covered her face with her hands.

"I thought I really liked him," she said, muffled, into her hands.

Smiling shrewdly she remembered how she had sworn, to herself and to her friends that she had liked all the other boys.

"Merlin, I was such a slut even in Hogwarts," the red-head felt tears pricking at her throat but she swallowed, forcing them down.

_Then why did I feel so safe?_

She shook her head, trying to get the voice out.

_Why did it feel so complete?_

She stopped shaking her head when she felt the rest of her body mimicking the movement. Hugging herself to try and stop, Ginny felt her stomach drop.

_Why did it feel so _right?

Silence.

She had no come-back to denounce that feeling, no explanation to write it off.

_But…_

Then she remembered that she had left him lying there, without a blanket and swore.

"Fuck," and she apparated.

* * *

**Why are they so bloody emo?**

**and ginny sounds a bit like gollum with all the back and forths but bear with me...  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**First thing's first. Thank you Scubarang for being awesome and still reading and reviewing even after I acted ungrateful. JUV YOU.**

**And I know the last time I said I would update the next day which clearly didn't happen. Sorry.**

**KAY thank!**

**JK Rowlings owns it all**

* * *

Ginny apparated next to Draco's bed instead of on top of it this time.

She could tell that Draco didn't look surprised as much as he did relieved. Ginny stood looking down at Draco and he stared right back.

"Er…Ginny," Draco seemed relaxed now, happy almost. "I'm freezing my balls off, would you be a dear?" A smirk twitched around the corners of his mouth.

Ginny raised her eyebrow. _At least this is staying light,_ Ginny thought, still wary.

Mechanically, she walked to the foot of his bed and pulled the blanked up over his very naked, very _beautiful_ body. Like a painting from long ago, his muscles were well defined and his broad, athletic body had goose bumps all over.

Ginny had paused in her blanket duties and gazed unashamed down at him, not knowing what she was doing.

She hadn't gotten a proper look at his body before and was enjoying the view now.

"Merlin, Weasley," Draco drawled. "You're making _me_ blush."

Ginny's eyes widened and she hastily dropped the sheet over his body.

"Sorry," she said, stepping away from the bed, hands raised in defense.

"No problem," Draco was now smiling fully. "I know for a fact that you liked what you saw earlier, so why not look at what you ha-OW!"

Ginny had smacked him on the shoulder. "Oh, come on, that didn't hurt."

"I _am _injured, you know." Draco rubbed his shoulder, his pride smarting more than his skin.

"Oh, hardly," Ginny snorted, crossing her arms and leaning her hips against the window sill, thinking of what happened between them. "_You _were the one that let me…" Ginny gulped. "You could have told me if you were hurting."

Draco smirked at her discomfort. "I could have but I didn't. Want to try again to see if I do?"

Ginny blushed furiously and Draco almost laughed.

They studied each other for a moment, each still slightly shocked by what they had done.

Draco looked into her eyes, searching for something, he didn't know what. But he liked the way her deep brown eyes swallowed his gaze. And the way her freckles dusted across her nose like a sprinkling of stars.

_Merlin, she's beautiful,_ Draco thought. _She makes me think the weirdest things._

"A mistake," Ginny's voice broke his thoughts.

Draco just stared at her, noticing the way her lips caressed her words-

"Definitely a mistake," Ginny continues. "I-I'm sorry this ever happened." She rubbed the bridge of her nose and Draco was hit by the overwhelming desire to kiss it.

"Thank you for what you did back on the island, but this has to be the end of…it." Her voice stated to sound mechanical. "When I leave this room, it will be the last you see of me, okay?"

Draco was silent, watching her warily.

"Okay?"

"I don't think it was a mistake," Draco said softly, looking at her and frowning. _Why does _she _think that?_

"Well it was," Ginny said tersely, breaking eye contact and shifting her weight to her other foot.

"Why?" Draco let slip, his anger rising. "Why? Is it because I'm just a 'scum-of-the-earth Malfoy' and you don't want to soil your good name? And oh! What would your friends think? Or is it because I _was _a Death Eater and you don't want that on your conscience. Because either way, your embarrassment with me is getting tiring."

Ginny's eyes were wide. "Is that what you think?" She hissed. "Is that _honestly_ what you think? Don't get me wrong, you are 'scum-of-the-earth' and a Death Eater-"

"Retired," Draco growled, annoyed that he could never get this point across.

"A Death Eater," Ginny continues, unperturbed. "But you _killed_ someone. For _my _sake! How could you?"

"I'm sorry," Draco said through clenched teeth. "I _thought _I was doing you a favor. Clearly…"

"A favor?!" Ginny was now yelling. "A _bloody _favor? What are you, an idiot? In what sick twisted world would that make sense?! I needed to deal with it on my _own!_"

Draco sat up in his hospital bed, surprised to not feel any pain, but pushing the thought from his mind. "Deal with it? Oh as I remember you dealt with it great, you practically had a psychotic meltdown! It's not my fault you don't know how to rationally cope with your emotions!"

Draco struggled to swing his legs over the bed, sheet still covering his lap. "Bloody red-heads," he muttered.

"Oh, OH!" Ginny yelled, stepping closer to him and pointing her finger. "_I _don't know how to cope? At least I don't go out and _kill_ people! And don't red-head me, you're the one that's crazy."

Draco stood up, sheet dropping off his body, but he ignored it, and he saw Ginny did too, even though he thought he saw her cheeks flush slightly. "I told you, I did it for you! Don't you get it?!" He wobbled on his feet.

Ginny started pacing the small room, hands in fists by her sides. "No! I _don't _get it! Why is my life worth three of theirs? It's just more needless violence!"

"Needless?" Draco choked out, now balancing properly.

"It wasn't needless, it was necessary! He had hurt you and you obviously weren't taking it well. And I…" Draco felt his voice strain into a softer tone. "I didn't want to see you like that."

Ginny stopped pacing and fidgeting with her nose and stared at Draco with glassy eyes.

"You should have let them go," she said in a low voice. Suddenly she crossed the distance between them and clamped her hands on his arms. Ginny shook the blonde man as best she could for her size, which wasn't much. "You should have let them go! I should have been hurt! I deserved it!"

Draco looked down at the girl with shocked horror. "Good Merlin, Weasley," he said, breaking her hold on him and grasping her shoulders. "Why on earth would you say that?"

Ginny began to cry.

Draco was alarmed, but he still held her at arms length. "Weasley, _no one _deserves that. No one, you hear me?"

Ginny cried harder.

"Ginny," Draco cried using her first name, desperate. "Please! You have to understand!"

Ginny shook her head wildly.

"Yes Ginny, listen to me. It wasn't your fault! _It wasn't your fault!"_

Ginny took a deep shuddering breath and hiccupped. And with that, Draco's final resolve melted away and he gathered her into his arms.

"It wasn't your fault," he said into her hair. He liked the feeling of her in his arms, even if he was getting wet.

They stood there for a moment, Ginny wrapped up in Draco's arms, her sobs quieting. Draco could feel her tremble and knew she was exhausted. He gently picked her up and sat down with her on the bed, stretching out so his body cupped around hers; their contours fit perfectly.

Draco was suddenly aware of his nakedness and willed himself not to think about it, or the warmth of her body pressed against his…

_No, this isn't the time. This isn't…_

_Fuck._

"Nice," Ginny said, feeling him harden, and giving a watery chuckle.

Draco exhaled, annoyed at his lack of control. "I can't help it," he muttered, screwing up his eyes. "If you stay still for a moment, it will go away. I said, don't move!" Draco snapped as he felt Ginny turn and face him.

"I don't _want_ to stay still," she said quietly.

Draco felt her lips very close to his and he opened his eyes just in time to see Ginny press her mouth fully to his.

It wasn't a kiss; it was a connection between two people saying that they understood each other.

Ginny was thanking Draco, and Draco was apologizing to Ginny for everything. For school, for his family, for the war, for Eddie, for his Mark…

It was a deep, powerful connection, one that they both felt reverberate deep into their bodies, truer than even love, it was almost spiritual.

They broke contact at the same time, but their eyes were still tied together, threading deep down into their souls.

"I-I don't know what you're going through," Draco stuttered out, breaking the silence after a moment. "I can't even _pretend_ to know. But I'd _like _to. I'd l-like to help you."

Ginny's eyes were shining again but this time Draco knew it wasn't with tears.

"I would like that to," Ginny replied, her voice ragged from crying.

_And you have no idea how good it feels to hold you,_ Draco admitted to himself, still afraid to say things like that out loud.

Their foreheads connected and Draco closed his eyes along with Ginny and their lips connected again, this time with shuddering, needy, passion.

* * *

Ginny could feel Draco restraining himself. She could feel his lips quiver slightly as he tried to keep the kiss shallow.

_Am _I _really doing this to him? _Ginny thought, blushing for no one to see.

She wasn't used to this; making someone act this way, like they were _completely _at her will.

She had other guys act similar to this before, but those times it was just lust, nothing like this. This felt…like something more.

_Like its permanent…oh I don't know._

Reaching her hands up to tangle her fingers deep within the roots of his hair at the base of his neck, Ginny opened her mouth and surrendered fully, giving him permission to deepen the kiss.

Ginny heard a deep growl in the back of Draco's throat before she found herself being flipped onto her back, quite forcefully. It didn't hurt, but it let Ginny know how strong he was.

He hungrily explored her mouth and she enjoyed every moment, kissing him back with equal passion. But their kisses were slower than the other ones, now they could take their time with each other, since the First was over.

Ginny was aware of Draco's nakedness and she wiggled beneath him, her hands reaching for her shirt to tug off when Draco's hands stilled her movements.

"I want to do it," he said, looking at her dead in the eyes with a softness that made Ginny inhale sharply and a fire that made her blush.

She nodded, telling him to start.

Draco began to undress her, slowly, sensually, rubbing his fingers over her skin, making her nerves fizz. He had her down to her underwear, and Ginny was astonished to realize that she didn't remember him taking off her clothes. Just him and his touch. That's all she had felt.

Ginny looked up to see his eyes tracing her entire body, following in the wake of his hands. She felt like she was being appraised, bit in a nice way: He was touching every inch of her skin, taking his time with her.

_Too much time…_

"Are you teasing me?" Ginny heard herself moan, shivering a little from her now lack of clothing, and pulling at his shoulders.

"No," he mumbled. "I'm savoring."

Right now, Ginny didn't want to be savored, she wanted to be _had._ She pushed against him, bucking her hips up gently to caress against his lower abdomen, which caused his mouth to descend upon hers again very quickly.

But Ginny wanted more, the smoldering sensation between her legs wanted more. She squirmed, her hands running up and down his back, her movements making him break the kiss.

Draco smiled a crooked half smile at her impatience that made Ginny's heart skip a beat. But her need was rewarded when he bent to kiss the top of her breast, just visible above her bra and sliding one hand down between her legs.

He moved her panties aside and slipped a couple of long fingers inside of her, which caused her to gasp.

Moving his fingers inside her wetness, he slowly let his tongue trace her lower lip and then sucked it into his mouth. Ginny could feel that she was quickly losing control. He let her lip go and thrust his tongue into her mouth, mimicking the motions of his fingers, and Ginny couldn't help but whimper.

Draco massaged her faster, but kept his kisses deep and long causing Ginny's mind to spark. Groaning, she pleaded, breaking the kiss. "I can't hold on much longer."

"Then don't," he said in a low, husky voice as he pushed aside her bra to taking a nipple into his mouth. He sucked on her breast gently, making her writhe, her body pleading for more.

"B-but I want to come with you inside me," she stammered in a whisper, caressing his back and grabbing a hold of his shoulders.

She felt him shudder and was glad for it. But she wasn't glad of what he said next. "That _will _happen," he assured her. "But there's no need to rush, is there?"

Ginny groaned with frustration and pleasure as he stroked her nub with his thumb.

* * *

_Too much cloth, _Draco thought as he slowly began removing her panties, kissing her thigh, as he was sliding them off her. She obligingly shifted to help him remove them. _Good…_

When her underwear had been deposited somewhere on the ground, Draco resumed his earlier post by pressing his fingers deep inside of her again, pushing the right spot on her wall and touching his thumb to her clit.

Before many seconds had passed, he felt her tense, crying out his name, and he felt her muscles contract around his fingers.

It felt amazing when she came, and Draco fought hard not to lose control himself, basking in her orgasm, as a different kind of ecstasy swept over him.

_I can do this to her_. Draco thought with wonder.

He could make her so wild for him that she lost all thought for anything but the blinding pleasure _he _was giving _her_. Draco had never felt so lucky, or so…_pleased._

He watched as Ginny pulled her mind back together from her release and look up at him with deep eyes.

Her mouth curled into a shy smile when she realized that he had just satisfied her with his hand.

She pressed herself against him, flattening her breasts against his chest, her soft skin and gently gyrating hips teasing his erection, making him want to….

"Stop…" he groaned, fighting for control. "Please," he held her a little apart from him. "We need to take this more slowly."

"Why?" Ginny asked. She nibbled at his neck and everything went black for a moment. She would make him come with her teasing soon, if he didn't stop her.

She bit her lip, and he exhaled. _I love it when she does that. Merlin, she probably did it on purpose…It's like she doesn't want me to hold back._ Which wasn't a bad thing. They had done that the last time they were together. He knew what that felt like, but it couldn't be now. And any other time, he might have let her have her way, but it was just too damn important right now. She needed to learn to trust him. Merlin, _he _needed to learn to trust her.

Instead of replying, he kissed her again and caressed her breast, slightly pinching her nipple to make it pucker. He removed her bra, which was still under her breasts.

She let her hands slide down to his groin, but he stopped her.

"Not yet," he whispered.

She shook her head. "You don't get to make all the decisions," she said, before cupping her hand onto him

He gasped as the touch of her hand almost made him come. He was much too close. Damn it all, he was tired of waiting. But he needed to know what she felt towards him.

"I want you inside of me," she whispered. "Now."

Draco lost his train of thought then, she was already halfway beneath him anyway. He shifted, so he covered her entire body, and then slowly entered her fire. He took it slow otherwise he knew he would have burst. She pulled her knees up, making it easier for him to enter to his base, and he trembled.

_I'm going to come, fuck, I'm going to come, _he thought. _Our second time together and I'm going to go off like a bloody virgin._

Draco held himself back. _This has to last, _he commanded himself.

Ginny groaned as he thrust deeply into her once more. "Oh, Merlin," she said.

He kept her under his body, savoring the pressure of her skin on his, and he began nibbling at her swollen lips.

He thrust into her again, making her gasp in time to his movements.

"Oh, yes," she rasped, opening her eyes to watch him.

Suddenly, her hands flew up to his hips, stopping his movements.

He was about to object, when she pushed him back into her slower, making him enter her more completely. He sucked in his breath.

_Merlin, she's tight_. Draco sighed to himself, surprised that she was even after all the guys he'd heard that she'd potentially fucked.

He lifted his hand to fondle her breast, while she still controlled his hip's movements. Draco began to see sparks flashing behind his vision and he moaned loudly.

"Ginny," he said. "You have to understand…" He couldn't finish his sentence.

Ginny raised an eyebrow but her eyes still shone with pleasure.

"I want to feel you…" he whispered into her ear. "But I want you to know that this is for real." He hoped that he was explaining himself clear enough. Through his fogged mind, he couldn't tell at the moment.

Ginny slowed his thrust almost to a halt as she looked at him seriously, and then smiled that shy smile that drove him crazy. "I understand. It is for real. And if you're asking me to trust you…I do."

That's all Draco needed. Ginny let his hips go and he thrust within her again, and again, leaving nothing but passion. He could feel her tensing, rising, and knew that she was close.

She would come again.

Draco caught her lips and thrust his tongue deeply into her mouth, and then she moaned loudly against him and gripped his shoulders tight, lost in her climax.

He was close himself, but held back, continuing to move inside her, prolonging her orgasm.

"Draco!" Ginny cried out, the sound ringing in his ears.

Draco felt his control slip and with another taste of ecstasy, he surrendered into his own climax.

He exhaled his mouth close to her ear. "My fire goddess." _My brain,_ Draco told himself, embarrassed for saying something like that. _My brain must be affected._

Ginny giggled sweetly, her cheeks flushed her eyes hooded with satisfaction.

They lay tangled up in the sheets for a long while, just looking at each other, tracing random lines on their bodies, staying connected in little ways.

Ginny closed her eyes and sighed happily, contented, her breath running across Draco's face with the scent of spices. The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned and her cheeks were flushed.

_She looks…happy._

Draco felt something stir in his lower belly, and this time it wasn't lust.

What he was feeling…what this was…he had to tell her.

"Ginny," Draco started to explain. "I've spent my whole life alone even thought I've been totally surrounded by people. I-I blamed everyone else but myself for my shortcomings and mistakes, I held the whole world accused, for Merlin's sake. I really only have myself to blame."

Draco chuckled nervously; unable to look into her eyes yet. "A-and I never really wondered why the easiest things are so hard until now, until I met you again, until I saw you in a different light. Oh, Merlin _why_ are the easiest things so hard to say?"

Draco asked the air, placing a hand on the back of his neck and massaging it nervously. "What I'm trying to say is…is that you changed my life, Ginny, you really have, and I can't imagine it without you."

He could see Ginny swallow, but her lips were slightly upturned and he took that as a sign to hope. Hope against hope that she wouldn't run away.

Draco took a deep breath. "I love you, Ginny."

* * *

**OH girl hold on!**

**review please!!!**


	20. Chapter 20

**NEW CHAPTER NEW CHAPTER WOO**

**jk rowling owns it all**

* * *

That's what she wanted to hear, wasn't it? So why was she frowning? Ginny had heard what Draco said and her stomach leaped and then plummeted downward so fast, she thought that it would fall out.

Untangling herself from him, Ginny stood up and walked over to her clothes, piled on the floor some ways away from the bed.

"Ginny…?" Draco said hesitantly. She could tell he was searching her face for a sign.

"No you don't," Ginny said, not meeting his gaze.

"What?" Draco spluttered.

"You don't love me," Ginny said more confidently this time, tugging on a leg of her pants.

"I don't…what? I just said I did." She looked at him and saw him trembling. Ginny tried not to feel guilty.

"It's not love you're feeling, its lust." Ginny nodded as if to better convince herself as well. _Why am I saying this?_

Draco's mouth was hanging open. "I just told you how I feel and you fling it back in my face?

"I guess so," Ginny smiled grimly, pulling on her jumper. She could feel him staring at her, clutching the bed sheet deftly around his waist, to provide some modesty and perhaps to cling to some dignity in the wake of his ongoing embarrassment at the moment. She _almost _felt sorry for him.

"Merlin damn it," he muttered. Her heart gave a squeeze as she found her way to the door handle.

"Don't go, please." His tiny voice reached out to her, trying to stall the inevitable.

Ginny gasped for air as she felt her heart twist tighter. "The thing is, Draco," she ignored the sigh that escaped his lips when she used his name. "I think I love you too, but I'm sorry you don't feel the same way."

"Are you fucking kidding?!" Draco shouted at her. "I just _told _you I loved you and you say that I don't _feel _the same way?"

Ginny nodded. "It's because you don't. Sure you can think I'm pretty, and you can like sleeping with me, but you can never love me. You're Draco _Malfoy_ and I'm Ginny _Weasley._ You see? It doesn't work like that."

"Thanks for the introductions," growled Draco. "But I have no idea what you're talking about since you're not making any sense. How can I prove my feelings towards you? What on earth can I do?"

"You can do nothing, I just don't believe you." Ginny felt tears start to form and turned the handle.

"Oh that's right," Draco snapped. "Run away again, why don't you. _That _will solve everything."

Ginny's temper flared and she turned, abandoning the handle. "No it won't, but maybe if I put some _distance_ between us, I can get this bloody idea out of my head."

"What idea? That we could actually love each other and be okay with it? What's so bad about love? People fall in love all the time." Draco stood up, tying the sheet around his waist.

Ginny stared at the spot where his hair just started peeking out from under the sheet…She shook her head. "Yes but we're not those kind of people, Draco. We not only can't fall in love, but we shouldn't. I mean come on, think about it."

Draco crossed the small hospital room and wrapped his arms around her, taking her breath away. "I _am _thinking about it. I'm thinking about how nice it would be if we didn't have to hide our feelings anymore, if we didn't have to hide who we are. Think about _that._"

Ginny inhaled the spicy, masculine scent of him and her stomach flipped. She snuggled deeper into his embrace, despite her mental warnings. "Merlin," she sighed. "I could get used to this."

"So get used to it. Why not? Why not let it happen…" Draco kissed the top of her head and she gave a watery smile. He pulled her away from him to peer down at her. "We could at least just give it a try."

Ginny's smile died. "We can't. What would our families think?"

"Damn our families, Ginny! Can't you think about yourself for _one _moment?" He stroked her cheek despite his hard words.

"Thinking gets me in trouble," she grinned, impishly in spite of the situation. This was getting no where. Not while she was still in his arms, she _couldn't _think clearly. Ginny made to move and untangle herself from his embrace but he just scooped her up and moved back toward the bed.

"Please, Ginny, stay here, with me. Where you belong," Draco's voice was strained with emotion and Ginny, surprised, looked up into his eyes. There was such longing in them, and a fire of affection and trust that it was all she could do to not look away.

"Merlin, Draco, don't look at me like that," Ginny broke eye contact, uncomfortable. She wiggled in his arms.

Sighing, Draco let her go. "Fine, but I know you'll regret this."

Setting her jaw, Ginny crossed back over to the door. "Somehow, I don't think I will." She left, needing the long walk back to her room to reflect.

Once she was in the lift she began to cry. _I had to do it, _she told herself firmly. _I had to. We can't be together, we just can't. He probably doesn't even love me anyway. He shouldn't._

Her thoughts did nothing to comfort her as the lift continued on its upward journey back to the psych ward.

* * *

Draco stared at the door. _What the hell was that?_

He had just professed his true feelings to the girl and she had walked out on him. Draco hadn't said the L-word to many people in his life but he was pretty sure _that_ reaction wasn't the right one.

Why was she saying those things? He rubbed his chest, subconsciously trying to ease the pain that had settled there. _She didn't mean it, she couldn't have._

Her words echoed in his mind. "I think I love you too…"

Those words had caused his body to soar; he never thought he could feel that way. "I _know _she loves me and she knows I do too, so all I have to do is make her see that we are meant for each other. Simple as that." He told himself out loud.

His door swung open and he turned, a smile already creeping over his face. "Ginny, I-" It wasn't Ginny, it was a healer doing his rounds.

"Mr. Malfoy, so good to see you up and about!" The healer said cheerily, and then frowned. "What happened to your clothes?"

Draco rolled his eyes and tried not to blush.

* * *

Ginny arrived back at the door to her room crying freely. Glancing her reflection in the pane of glass next to her, she calmly took a deep breath and tried to get a hold of herself. Wiping the tears away, Ginny opened her door.

The scene inside her hospital room was mayhem. Harry and Ron were yelling at each other, and Hermione was pacing the tiny room, yelling at them to stop yelling.

"Well I don't know where she is, because I've been in _Bermuda_ for the past two days looking for bloody Malfoy!" Harry shoved Ron.

"Well _I _don't know anything, just because she's my sister…" Ron spat back.

Hermione held up her hands. "Please, stop this, you two are acting ridiculous!"

"I'll say," Ginny said from the door frame."

"Ginny!" Hermione squeaked, but Harry got to the red-head first. Wrapping his arms around her, Harry picked her up and held her close.

"Oh, Ginny," he whispered into her hair. "I was so _worried _about you, after I heard what happened on St. Almen, I almost…well, then I came here and you were _gone,_ I thought…"

Harry trailed off and Ginny let him, she was still suspended in his arms and didn't like the feeling. Draco's arms had been a much better fit… Well, she couldn't think about that now.

She wiggled in Harry's embrace. "Um, thanks, Harry for doing all this, but you really didn't need too…"

Harry set her down and looked at her confused. "Ginny, I did need too. You were such a state when you apparated back from the island, I just couldn't sit there and do nothing. You know…"

Ginny let Harry ramble on as Hermione and Ron took their turns hugging her, expressing their concerns and welcoming her back. They all laughed when Ron scolded her, ever the older brother, although Ginny's laughed died almost immediately after it touched her lips.

Hermione went to find a healer and came back with good news. "They say that you will most likely be able to come home in two days, if your behavior is as good as it is now." Hermione said brightly.

_My _behavior_? _Ginny thought, annoyed.

"So in the mean time, get some rest and we'll be back to check on you tomorrow." Hermione gave her a strange hug, one of her hands got tangled between their bodies and Ginny's eyes widened when she finally caught on to what Hermione was doing.

"Yeah, see you, Ginny!" Ron called ruffling her hair. "And _please_ don't go running off again."

Ginny grinned. "I won't, thanks Ron."

Harry was the last to leave and he paused, sighing as he put on his cloak. "You know, Ginny, I would do anything for you, all you have to do is ask."

"Right," Ginny said quickly, lest he get the idea that a kiss was needed. "Thank you, I really do appreciate what you did for me…er…with you going to the island and all."

"Ginny that's what I'm saying. It was no trouble at all, because if you ever need help I will never hesitate to give it. You know my feelings towards you…" Harry stepped closer to the red-head and she held her ground, but was still wary.

Harry reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind Ginny's ear. "I'll even wait for you if I need to." He said softly.

"Harry…don't…" Ginny said twisting her head away.

He dropped his arm. "I'm just saying, Ginny, think about it." And with that, Harry left the room.

Ginny stared after him for a moment. _The thing is, Harry, is that there's nothing to think about._ Ginny thought with a sigh before turning back to her bed. Feeling the slip of parchment in her hand she remembered that Hermione had slipped her a note during their hug.

Unrolling it quickly, Ginny scanned the note and stiffened. It was a single line in Hermione's neat handwriting.

_I know about Malfoy._

* * *

**OOOH hermione.,...**


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